Anchor of Ultimecia
by Quatermass
Summary: Mysterious forces bring a pair of damaged souls together: the reluctant pilot of a massive battle machine, and a Sorceress hunted by the world. Now, Shinji Ikari has become the Knight of the teenager who is destined to become Ultimecia. But can they break the chains of fate? Can Shinji get back home with Ultimecia? And can Ultimecia ever find acceptance?
1. Foreword

**FOREWORD**

I really should stop making rods for my own back. I should ignore the plot bunnies as they merrily fuck away in the mephitic warren that is my mind. But sometimes, there are story ideas that come to the fore and demand to be told. And sometimes, I look for interesting crossover concepts that haven't been done before.

I'm surprised at a relative lack of _Neon Genesis Evangelion_ crossovers on this site, especially compared to other anime series like _Naruto_. Hell, even _Highschool DxD_ and most of the iterations of _Yu-Gi-Oh!_ have more crossover fics! It was an _Evangelion_ fic (not a crossover) that helped inspire me to write fanfic: Gregg Landsmann's _Nobody Dies_. In addition, I've meant to write at least a few _Evangelion_ fics, but to date, have only done one: namely _Harry Potter and the Blue-Haired Angel_.

Oddly enough, it's because of my own Harry Potter crossovers that I come to this story, which seems to be the first marked crossover between _Final Fantasy VIII_ and _Evangelion_. Namely, two crossovers I have done with _Final Fantasy VIII_ , _Ultimecia's Knight_ and _Mnemosyne's Son_ , along with my one and only 'pure' _Final Fantasy VIII_ fic, _La Vita Nuova_. In all three of these fics, I engage in a humanisation of _Final Fantasy VIII_ 's key villain, the Sorceress Ultimecia. Given that we are only given tantalising hints of her backstory and motives, she is rich fodder for a fanfic…and also able to be made into a more sympathetic character in the process.

The first part of this fanfic will take place in the future of the world of _Final Fantasy VIII_ , the time when Ultimecia is still growing up (in this fic, set at least a decade if nor more before she confronts Squall and company, she is Shinji's age, 14), while the second part of this fanfic (or else the sequel) will take place back in the world of _Evangelion_.

The title, _Anchor of Ultimecia_ , actually wasn't the original title. This story was originally called _The Eva, The Witch, and the Third Child_ , but as I was writing the second chapter, I wrote a line quite by accident where Ultimecia calls a Sorceress' Knight an anchor. And in Japanese, the name 'Ikari' means 'anchor'.

Anyway, onto the usual disclaimers. Firstly, there will be annotations up the wazoo. You don't like it? Well, there's the door. I ain't putting up with any whining.

Secondly, this is an M-rated work. Violence, language, and sexual references will be present. You have been warned.

Thirdly, there will be spoilers for both _Final Fantasy VIII_ and _Neon Genesis Evangelion_ , especially the latter. Again, you have been warned.

Finally, the following is a fan-written work. _Final Fantasy VIII_ and _Neon Genesis Evangelion_ are the properties of their respective owners. Please support the official release. Otherwise, instead of a Giant Naked Rei, you'll get a Giant Naked Ultimecia turning you into Tang…


	2. Chapter 1: Meeting-Pulling a Miracle Out

**CHAPTER 1:**

 **MEETING/PULLING A MIRACLE OUT OF THE SKY**

 _An ontological paradox. A time-loop. The end is the beginning is the end, and the beginning is the end is the beginning(_ _1)_ _. The temporal equivalent of the serpent eating its own tail. It is frequently said that nature abhors a vacuum, but it detests a paradox even more, especially one where beginning and end are indeterminate._

 _The universe is blind to suffering. But that isn't to say that there aren't forces in the universe that cannot take note of it. And sometimes, these forces lend a helping hand, in order to bring a better conclusion to stories that are becoming painful._

 _Two such stories, on two different worlds, united by eerily similar circumstances. On both worlds, desperate people tried to force a unification of their worlds so that they may become deities, causing the apocalypse in the process. And long ago, on both worlds, a pair of objects arrived that had no right to be there. Objects that would have a devastating effect on humanity on both worlds. The White Egg of Adam, and the Black Egg of Lilith._

 _On one world, a purple titan sank struggling into a dark void, a strange striped sphere floating above, the screams of a teenage boy echoing deep within the giant. On another, a silver-haired, golden-eyed teenaged girl ran for her life from her pursuers, weeping as her innocence gave a last, terminal rattle of breath._

 _The time for intervention was now. And so, as the girl running for her life prepared to use her powers in desperation, a guiding force gave her powers just the right push…_

* * *

In a void between worlds, within the belly of an alien entity, a mother looked upon her son with concern. Not for the first time, Yui Ikari was looking back at her actions in life, and finding them wanting. Well, it was one action in particular, one decision. Made in desperation, because her life was in danger. And with it, the chance to stop SEELE from enacting their vile plan to force humanity through evolution, without giving people a choice in the matter.

There were a few reasons why her choice to allow herself to be absorbed into EVA Unit 01 was a bad one. The foremost was her husband, Gendo. She loved him, she truly did, but he became frequently a toady of Keel, and had been willing to help trigger Second Impact, despite her objections. But she had trusted his love and loyalty to her would be enough to have him see through the plan she wanted him to follow. She had left him notes. Instead, he spurned his son, THEIR son, abandoned Shinji with an acquaintance, and began working on his own form of Third Impact, selfishly desiring to be with her again. And with her personality and soul mostly subsumed beneath that of EVA Unit 01, she couldn't do much more than watch and despair.

Of course, showing her son the future…by effectively 'dying' in front of him when he was four years old was, in retrospect, not the brightest move. It would make him a better Evangelion pilot…but at what cost? Gendo was supposed to look after him, not push him away and effectively turn Shinji into an introverted issue-ridden boy seeking praise and approval.

Yui hoped that, soon, she would be able to save her son. She couldn't do much until Shinji's mind truly reached out in desperation, breaking through the limiters on the Evangelion. That desperation would wake up Yui, and she would, along with the spirit of the Evangelion, be able tear her way out of the Angel, Leliel.

Yui suddenly felt something strange tugging at her. Something reaching out through the void within Leliel, something that came from outside the Angel. But what was it?

The movement of the Eva Unit as it was pulled roused her son. He was looking around within the Entry Plug, confused, and frightened, and understandably so. She heard him calling out, frightened and worried. To be honest, so was Yui. What the hell was happening?

* * *

The girl ran through the rain, trying not to slip on the slick ground. Tears ran from her eyes, mingling with the rain, the irises a baleful gold, showing hurt and betrayal and anger and fear. Long silver hair framed her face, which had strange markings not unlike tattoos. Yet despite the oddities of her appearance, she was actually quite beautiful, though she was clearly in her mid-teens. Her black jacket over a red shirt and jeans was the only thing keeping the rain off her form, and it wasn't doing it very well. Her hands had talon-like nails, and her feet, exposed to the elements, were bestial paws. A pair of black feathered wings protruded from her back, sodden in the weather.

She had just been betrayed by her best friend, or rather, someone she had thought a best friend. Her second Knight, who had come after her first, Ramza, had been murdered by SeeD. But Delita(2) turned out to be a SeeD agent in disguise.

Suddenly, a burning pain in her leg, followed shortly thereafter by the report of a gun. The girl screamed in agony as she fell, skidding to a halt, her face scraping painfully along the ground. With a whimper of pain, she rolled onto her back, and gathered her concentration to heal the bullet wound in her leg. It was hard to do: something in the bullet was sapping her magic, but she barely managed to heal the wound.

But even as she did so, someone, followed by a dozen others, appeared, surrounding her. Standing over her was Delita, looking down at her with a contemptuous sneer. His handsome face was marred by the utter disdain on his face. "Well, looky here. We finally have the Sorceress right where we want her."

"Delita…" the Sorceress moaned. "Why? I…trusted you."

"Then it only goes to show you were a stupid little bitch!" Delita sneered. "Then again, you were on the rebound after I iced Ramza. Oh yes, that was me." He petted the long, phallic-substitute rifle he was holding like it was an animal. "The ultimate in anti-Sorceress weaponry, courtesy of the Odine Corporation. That's why your filthy Sorceress powers aren't working. That's why I'm better than that fame-hungry shit Leonhart! I don't have a famous name to fall back on like that attention-seeking brat! But I have brains, and I have the guts to do what is necessary!"

"But what have I done wrong?!" the Sorceress demanded. "What in Hyne's name have I done to deserve this? Everyone speaks of a Sorceress from the future, but what does that have to do with me?"

"Sorceresses are an abomination upon the world anyway, the last remnants of an evil and twisted god," Delita spat. "Besides, you match the description of the Sorceress we must destroy. You even have a twisted version of her name…don't you, Artemisia(3)? But I know you are truly Ultimecia. For the future, and for the past, you must die!"

Artemisia, for that was the name her mother gave her, before SeeD slaughtered her family, glared. "Curse you all," she snarled. "I will NOT die here today!" Calling upon as much of her power as she could, she sent them flying. But even as they sprawled on the ground, she knew that it may not be enough.

 _Please…if the Great Hyne, or any deity watching from above has any inkling of mercy…please…I need help. Send me a Knight, a new Knight, a true Knight_ … She prayed with all her might, not knowing if it would be answered.

In all other iterations of her life, her prayers went unanswered, and only through sheer willpower boosting the power of her magic to overcome Delita's poisoned bullets did she prevail.

But this time, the prayer was answered.

As Delita struggled to his feet, snarling insults against Artemisia, the skies opened, quite literally. The dark rain clouds seemed to open into a vast, black void, out of which something very large, and very purple, fell through. If it had merely impacted the ground, the shockwave alone would have pulped those nearby. Instead, with a musical chime-like noise, a strange, orange-coloured set of concentric octagons appeared briefly, and the massive sentinel dropped to the ground merely with an earth-shaking tremor. It squashed the SeeDs directly behind Artemisia, but its hand landed just next to her.

Artemisia turned to look at the new arrival. It looked vaguely human in shape, but was easily a hundred metres tall(4), clad in purple-painted metal and ceramic, with green highlights. Its bestial head was topped by a single horn. And it was peering down at her with glowing, yellow eyes.

"Kill her! She's summoned some sort of GF!" Delita roared.

Artemisia dashed behind the massive hand of the massive machine, for she was fairly certain that's what it was. Bullets and spells ricocheted off the armoured hand. The machine's mouth seemed to tear itself open, and a strange, bizarre roar emitted from the creature. With a single sweep of its hand, it sent the SeeD pogrom flying. Most of them died. But Delita, like the cockroach that he was, managed to scamper away from the attack. And Artemisia, exposed now that the hand was gone, wasn't aware that Delita was raising his rifle to shoot the young Sorceress. Instead, she was watching in awe as the machine moved…but the machine saw Delita, and lashed out with its hand, grabbing the SeeD.

"Let me go!" Delita screamed. "DAMN YOU, _LET ME GO!_ "

Instead, the machine squeezed its hand. Blood began gushing from the young man's mouth, before suddenly, with a grotesque wet pop like a champagne cork exploding from a bottle, his head sailed into the air, borne aloft on a fountain of blood.

Surprisingly, Artemisia felt no fear. Not anymore. This machine felt like the answer to her prayer. Her golden eyes met the machine's own as it looked at her, dropping the now-mangled remains of Delita, which dropped to the ground with a wet splat. After a moment, she asked, in a quiet voice, "Are you my Knight?"

After a moment, the machine knelt down, and offered her its hand to step onto, the one that hadn't crushed Delita. With little hesitation, she climbed up onto it, and was gently, even tenderly grasped, before she felt the hand being rocked with motion, as the giant machine began dashing away from where it had arrived.

As it ran, she knew that her Knight had arrived. She could now sense…someone, something human within the machine. No, two humans, one diffuse and cloudy (and the one that had actually directed the machine to help her, she realised), the other more definite, but unconscious. It seemed that her Knight in rather oversized purple armour had arrived, at long last…

* * *

Shinji woke to consciousness slowly. The only thing he remembered before everything went dark was the Evangelion moving all of a sudden, as if something within the Angel was drawing him elsewhere. He had panicked, and had blacked out. But now…he was awake.

He could see through the viewing screens that…wherever they were, it was raining. It took him a moment to realise that wherever he was, he wasn't in the Angel anymore. Any hope that he had managed to escape the Angel soon died when he realised he wasn't in Tokyo-3 either. He was in some sort of isolated mountain area.

Suddenly, the viewscreens went dark, and the Entry Plug juddered. He felt the familiar sensation of the Entry Plug being ejected from the Evangelion Unit, and as the LCL drained, he coughed out the oxygenated liquid. Then, the hatch of the Entry Plug was opened.

Shinji, despite what he saw on the viewscreens, was half-hoping to see Misato or Ritsuko's face. Hell, even a NERV technician would have been welcome at this point, or Asuka or Rei. Though his father was another point entirely.

But it wasn't anyone he knew who was silhouetted in the hatch. It was a girl about his age. And while he had thought Rei strange with her blue hair, red eyes, pale skin and quiet, almost emotionless demeanour, Rei looked almost normal compared to this girl.

It wasn't her manner of dress: the black jacket and trousers, and red shirt were surprisingly normal, though her red shirt was soaked through, and showing off a rather well-developed figure for a girl her age. Rather, it was many things. Her hands were taloned, her bare feet bestial paws. Her face, while beautiful, was marked with strange tattoo-like markings. Golden eyes peered at him, while her wet hair was silver. And from her back, a pair of black, sodden wings emerged.

Shinji stared at her for a moment, before she said, "So, you are to be my Knight." She said that in what sounded like heavily-accented English, rather than the Japanese he was used to. He could speak English and get by with reading it(5).

"Who are you?" Shinji asked.

After a moment, the girl reached out to him, offering her taloned hand. A little hesitantly, he took it, and was gently helped by her out of the Entry Plug, and onto the shoulder of the currently-kneeling EVA Unit 01. "What is your name, my Knight?"

"Your Knight? I'm…nobody's Knight. I'm Shinji Ikari! Pilot of Evangelion Unit 01!" Shinji protested.

The girl looked at the Evangelion, and then at him. "Your steed saved me from my persecutors, Shinji Ikari. It answered my ardent prayer for salvation. It seems to have a human soul dwelling within it. Other than yourself. But you have my thanks all the same. My name is…was…Artemisia. I am a Sorceress, Shinji Ikari. And I believe the Great Hyne has selected you to become my Knight."

Shinji stared at Artemisia in shock. What the hell had happened? What had he gotten himself into? And could he get himself out of it?

 **CHAPTER 1 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **And the first chapter is down. Now, I'll point some things out: not all of the future SeeD are going to be bloodthirsty lunatics out on pogroms like Delita. And yes, Leonhart is a descendant of Squall, and he will be an important OC in this story. While it may be at least a couple of chapters before I introduce Leonhart, he's not actually a spoiled brat per se. He's more like a mix between Harry Potter and Sasuke Uchiha, a rather grim young man (at too early an age in his life) who is basically expected to be the second coming of Squall. For the moment, though, we'll be having more Shinji/Ultimecia.**

 **1\. This seemingly nonsensical sentence actually comes from the titles of two songs by the Smashing Pumpkins:** ** _The Beginning is the End is the Beginning_** **, and** ** _The End is the Beginning is the End_** **.**

 **2\. Ramza and Delita, of course, are names I took from** ** _Final Fantasy Tactics_** **. Ramza was used as the heroic Knight, and Delita as that of the treacherous Knight.**

 **3\. Artemisia is an actual name from history, and in Japanese, is spelled the same as Ultimecia, meaning that, in some countries, Ultimecia is translated as Artemisia. I decided that, for this story, 'Artemisia' was her birth name, and 'Ultimecia' was the one she adopted, in order to make her sound like the Ultimate Sorceress. She'll use the name 'Ultimecia' in this fic eventually.**

 **4\. In the anime series, the EVA Units' sizes change, with scaled objects suggesting they are anywhere from 40 metres to 200 metres tall (Gainax presumably being a touch lazy with continuity). I decided to go with 100 metres for this story.**

 **5\. My personal** ** _Evangelion_** **fanon, something I used for** ** _Harry Potter and the Blue-Haired Angel_** **, was that NERV, being an organisation nominally under the command of the UN, requires its personnel to be bilingual in Japanese and English.**


	3. Chapter 2: Telling a Story- The Third

**CHAPTER 2:**

 **TELLING A STORY/THE THIRD CHILD AND THE LAST SORCERESS**

Shinji looked around the valley they were currently in. It wasn't much to look at, save for the ruins of an old castle in the distance. Artemisia was currently tending a fire, a fire she had lit herself with magic. There was a small emergency camping kit in the Entry Plug, in case the Entry Plug, when ejected in an emergency, landed in the wilderness, and Shinji had set up a tent, and was eyeing the MREs. He didn't like the ones he had eaten with Kensuke during that time when he ran away, after that incident with the Fourth Angel, and the second one he had defeated.

Artemisia had also somehow shrunk the Evangelion Unit, so now, instead of being a hundred metre tall colossus, it was now the size of an action figure. To Shinji's astonishment, it even weighed about the same as an action figure, and he knew enough about physics to know that that shouldn't be possible.

Then again, the Evangelions and the Angels tended to sneer at the word 'impossible'. What was magic, thrown into the mix?

There was something about Artemisia that reminded him of both Rei and Asuka. She had the strange features and ethereal grace of Rei, but some of the forceful personality (albeit much less obnoxious) and complete self-assuredness of Asuka.

"You look ill at ease," Artemisia said quietly. "Is it because I am a Sorceress?"

"No, no, no…" Shinji said. "Well, not that much, anyway. I'm…I must be far away from home. I mean, this isn't Japan, is it?"

"Is that a country? I have never heard of a country called Japan." Artemisia looked around the valley. "We're in the Valley of Xande(1), on the continent of Centra. Your machine took us a long way away, on the other side of the continent."

"What? But the EVA Unit, it only had battery power left!" Shinji protested. "Unless…it went berserker again?"

"Does this… 'Eva Unit' sometimes move of its own accord, then?"

"…It did a few times." Shinji thought back when that debris nearly fell on him and Rei when he was first told to become an Evangelion pilot, and the Evangelion moved its hand to shield him from the debris. He also remembered, albeit in pieces, the battle against the Third Angel.

And she said that they were on the 'Centra' continent. He had never heard of a 'Centra' continent. Did she mean Asia or Eurasia? Getting a bad feeling, he asked, "Is this Earth? I mean, this world?"

"No. This world is called Mondas(2)." Artemisia peered at him curiously. "Are you implying that you come from another world?"

"I don't know," Shinji muttered. "I just…don't know. Or maybe this is Earth in the past or future or something. I'm guessing future."

"Maybe you are from another world," Artemisia said, looking at the shrunken Evangelion. "Such massive humanoid machines are only in fiction, not even in history or myth. Not at the size that thing was." A scowl came over her features. "It would also explain why you haven't been as judgemental towards me and my abilities."

"But what are you? You said something about being a Sorceress or something. Is that like a witch or something?" Shinji asked, before realising he may have offended her.

Indeed, her golden eyes briefly glared at him, before her expression softened. "In the myths of this world, there was a creator deity called Hyne. Hyne created humanity, as he was a lazy god, and wanted workers to shape and tame the world for him. He even made it so they could replicate themselves. He went to sleep, but when he woke up, he found there were too many people for his liking. He started destroying them, targeting children. But this aggravated humanity, who rose up against him. They eventually defeated Hyne, who offered half of his body to humanity in exchange for his life. But instead, he tricked them with his own shed skin, and fled into the bodies of various special humans, all women, called the Sorceresses. Indeed, to this day, we are called Hyne's Descendants. It used to be a term of respect. Now, it is one of contempt. A Sorceress is one who can use magic innately. There is another type of magic, a more limited one, that anyone with the right training can use: Para-Magic. But only Sorceresses can use true magic."

"And what did you mean when you said I was your Knight?"

"A Knight is a companion to the Sorceress. A confidant, a bodyguard, and an anchor."

Shinji laughed a little despite himself. "What's so funny?" Artemisia demanded.

"My last name, Ikari, means 'anchor' in Japanese," Shinji said.

Artemisia looked at him, before smiling. "Perhaps then it is fate that we have met, Shinji. A Knight acts to protect a Sorceress from all dangers. Even if, ultimately, she herself is that very danger, if she ever succumbs to evil, so the Knight must end her life. Frequently, they are consorts and lovers. In times of yore, the life of a Knight was seen as a glamorous, even romantic one. But now, thanks to the accursed SeeDs, Knights are seen as traitors to humanity. I have had two Knights. One was murdered by SeeD, the other turned out to be a member of SeeD."

"SeeD?"

"Elite mercenaries, trained in the military academies known as Gardens," Artemisia spat. "Although they are hired by whoever needs them, their true purpose is to exterminate every Sorceress that exists. But one that they wish to destroy most of all is one they call 'Ultimecia'."

Shinji frowned. The name sounded like Artemisia's own. "But…why?"

"Supposedly, centuries ago, there was a Sorceress called Ultimecia who took control of Delingia, back when it was called Galbadia. She ordered that Garden and the SeeDs be wiped from the face of Mondas. This Sorceress, according to what SeeD claims, came from the future, using a device known as the Junction Machine Ellone, which can project one's consciousness into the past. I have one myself, actually. I've been meaning to look into the past, see what the truth was, but I've been on the run from SeeD for so long, I haven't had enough of a chance." She looked into the fire pensively. "Supposedly, this Sorceress intended to become a goddess by somehow compressing all of time and space into herself. I've actually looked into it. It's possible, but it would need a lot of power, more power than even I have at the moment. I would need to find the very person who the Junction Machine Ellone was based on. It was derived from the powers of a woman called Ellone, who lived at about the same time as these events occurred. Supposedly, a group of SeeDs, led by one called Squall Leonhart, somehow made it to the future, and murdered Ultimecia after a prolonged battle against her and her minions."

"…That sounds awful. But, if she was going to compress all of time and space into herself…" Shinji said.

"If she became a goddess, it meant she could revive anyone who died!" Artemisia retorted. "That's what I would have done! Everyone who won't hurt me…I would bring into eternal paradise. No death. No pain. Just paradise." She looked back into the fire, her golden eyes glittering with bitter tears. "What would you know of pain?"

"…My mother died when I was four, in a lab accident," Shinji said quietly. "My father sent me to live with one of his acquaintances. Only a few months ago, he ordered me to come back, and told me, didn't even ask me, but told me to pilot the Evangelion."

Artemisia looked up at him sharply. And then, she said, "Please, tell me more. How you came to be piloting that machine. Please."

Shinji, surprised by the request, looked at the fire as he gathered his thoughts. Where should he begin?

* * *

As he recounted his fantastic tale, the two of them eating those rather unappetising ration meals, Artemisia looked at Shinji Ikari. He was a slim, slender boy about her age, with short brown hair, and dark eyes with epicanthic folds. He was dressed in a figure-hugging bodysuit, coloured white and dark blue, with the number '01' in the upper chest area. The bodysuit looked like it was all of one piece, and she wondered how he had gotten into it.

While not devastatingly handsome, at least her new Knight was at least easy on the eyes. He also seemed rather nervous, introverted, and diffident. The nervousness wasn't wholly due to her presence, either. He seemed innately nervous.

Then again, Ramza had been like that at times. Looking at Shinji, she saw a lot of Ramza in Shinji. She hoped that there were a lot of Ramza's better qualities in him.

His story was fantastic, but given the fact that he had that Evangelion thing, she could believe it. It seemed a bit farfetched for SeeD to go to all the trouble of making a gigantic robot and training a pilot for it, just to inveigle himself with her.

After a moment, he excused himself, and went behind a nearby tree to relieve himself. He then came back a couple of minutes later. She frowned. "How did you remove that?"

"It's a bit difficult," he said. He gently touched a hidden button on his wrist, and the skintight bodysuit became baggy and loose. He shrugged the collar and part of the shoulder area off. "And then I've got to take the whole thing off."

"Rather inconvenient," Artemisia observed.

"Ritsuko always gave me drugs that sort of flushes me out every time we go into a sortie," Shinji remarked. "She called it like a 'hyper-diuretic', or a 'kidney enema'. I think she said something about worrying about kidney failure after we had prevented Third Impact. I _hope_ she was joking."

* * *

Back on Earth, Ritsuko Akagi sneezed. Sadly, it was all over Misato's dress, and it was while they were arguing about what to do about Shinji and EVA Unit 01. So it made Ritsuko's dignity and authority in the argument somewhat diminished…

* * *

Shinji soon continued with his story, before concluding it. Artemisia had to confess, she was impressed. He had to be valorous to at least some small degree to face such monsters time and time again, despite his self-effacement. Perhaps he would become an excellent Knight after all.

After he finished, Artemisia said, "That is a truly remarkable tale, Shinji. You sell yourself very short. You are truly brave to continue fighting these Angels. And before you object, remember that courage is not the absence of fear, but acting in spite of it." Her face fell at the reminder. That was one of Ramza's aphorisms.

"If you say so," Shinji said uncertainly. "Umm, Artemisia, where are we going to go?"

"Well, I've made up my mind. The Evangelion brought us here, within a day's march of Xande's Castle. Perhaps it is providence," Artemisia smiled. "I need a place to call home, a secure place, and perhaps the ruins of Xande's Castle may give me what I desire. Legends state that Xande, though not a Sorceress, had managed to steal magic from Sorceresses in ancient times, partly to become powerful, but also to become immortal, for he greatly feared death. A malevolent spirit, formed from the anger and fury of the murdered Sorceresses, came into being. Calling herself the Cloud of Darkness, she took the form of a beautiful but malevolent woman, who seduced Xande, and then slaughtered him. The Cloud of Darkness plagued the area for some time, until a quartet of warriors defeated her(3)." She liked the story, but Artemisia's sympathies were with the Cloud of Darkness and the Sorceresses she was formed from. "Xande was said to be a tinkerer with technologies and techniques that were only rediscovered recently. We'll head there tomorrow."

Shinji nodded. They had finished off their rations, and they both slid into the tent that they would be staying in for the night. Shinji, rather generously, allowed her the one sleeping bag with it. In return, Artemisia gave him her jacket to put over the thin material of the plugsuit. It wasn't really cold in this area, anyway.

It didn't take too long for the pair of troubled teens to fall asleep. It was a troubled sleep, plagued by nightmares and bad memories, but they had come to realise that they weren't alone in the world. The Last Sorceress of Mondas…and the Third Child of NERV. An unlikely alliance, that could break a vicious cycle that was going on for centuries…

 **CHAPTER 2 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Shinji and Ultimecia getting to know each other. Remember, this is Ultimecia at least a decade or so before she fights Squall and company. Most of the next chapter will be Ultimecia and Shinji exploring and activating Xande's Castle. Incidentally, Xande's Castle is what will become Ultimecia's Castle was in the game. I've given it some backstory in this story.**

 **Also, keep in mind that time is passing more quickly in the world of** ** _Final Fantasy VIII_** **than in the world of** ** _Neon Genesis Evangelion_** **. I don't know how much time will pass in the world of** ** _Final Fantasy VIII_** **, as it could be a week, or even months, but Shinji and Ultimecia (along with some others?) will emerge from Leliel in a similar matter to canon.**

 **1\. Given that Hyne is named for a character in** ** _Final Fantasy III_** **, I thought that bringing in Xande would be interesting as well.**

 **2\. Mondas is the name of the Cybermen's original homeworld in** ** _Doctor Who_** **, a twin planet of Earth. It got disintegrated in the Cybermen's debut story,** ** _The Tenth Planet_** **(written in 1966 and set in 1986, long before Pluto was demoted to a dwarf planet). Mondas is derived from the Latin** ** _mundus_** **, meaning the world. Obviously, the world of** ** _Final Fantasy VIII_** **isn't the same as the** ** _Doctor Who_** **Mondas, but it's a good name to use instead of the oft-reused Gaia and Terra.**

 **3\. Of course, this is a bit of a variation of elements of the plot of** ** _Final Fantasy III_** **. I had this weird notion that the Cloud of Darkness on Mondas was rather like an** ** _onryo_** **or vengeful ghost, only composed of multiple beings.**


	4. Chapter 3: The Castle of Xande- A Ghost

**CHAPTER 3:**

 **THE CASTLE OF XANDE/A GHOST FROM THE PAST**

It took about half the day to reach the Castle of Xande. But when they entered, Shinji was surprised that everything inside seemed…well, pristine. Okay, there was dust and cobwebs in more than a few places, but there were plenty of valuables around, valuables he thought would have been stolen long ago. When he remarked on this, Artemisia nodded. "It means that this place has defences. Even guardians. I can feel them, the defences, trying to suppress my abilities. But I am stronger than that." She held up a hand, and pointed to the ceiling. Energy crackled from it, and then she smiled. "Those defences are weak against the might of a true Sorceress, and with Xande dead, they can't actively suppress my power so easily. It's the guardians I'm more worried about." She looked up a staircase, and said, "There's one of them, if I'm not mistaken."

Shinji followed her gaze, and stared. A magenta-coloured feline creature, like some massive malevolent sphinx, was peering down at them. It loped down the stairs towards them. " _Who are you to dare intrude upon the Castle of Xande?_ " it asked in a deep voice.

"I am Artemisia, the Sorceress!" Artemisia declared. "I intend to make this my new home. If you swear fealty to me, then you can be my guardians!"

The creature chuckled derisively. " _I applaud your boldness if little else. But I will need more reason to serve you than hollow words. Otherwise, I, Sphinxaur, shall feast upon your carcasses._ "

Artemisia's eyes narrowed, and then, with a gesture, caused Sphinxaur to be blasted back with a bolt of lightning. "Is that reason enough? Or would you like more punishment for your insolence?"

The monster got back to his feet, and then tried to attack again, only for Artemisia to blast him back. After a few repetitions of this, Artemisia said, her wings flaring out as she did so, "I tire of your folly. Submit, or I will turn you into ashes."

Sphinxaur glared at her, before sagging down. " _I…submit, Mistress Artemisia. But I am far from the only guardian you must win the allegiance of. There are other guardians. Some will give their allegiance willingly. Others, you will have to beat into submission._ " He gave a malevolent chuckle. " _Good luck. If you wish, you may rest in your new chambers between fighting. You can make your way to your chambers without encountering the guardians. But there are still monsters populating the corridors, as natural guards. You'd better keep an eye on that scrawny Knight of yours, assuming he is a Knight. He may not have that much meat on his bones, but that doesn't matter to some monsters._ " Sphinxaur then gave some directions, before limping away.

Artemisia, after a moment, sent a Curaga spell at the beast. When it found itself healed, it turned to face her. "I take care of those under my command, Sphinxaur."

Sphinxaur contemplated her for a time, before saying, " _Our former mistress wondered what you would be like when you finally arrived._ "

"Former mistress?" Shinji asked. "I thought this castle was of Xande? Or are you talking about the Cloud of Darkness?"

" _I speak of neither_ ," Sphinxaur said. " _Our former mistress sleeps a dreamless sleep, ever since the time of the original conflict between Garden and the Sorceress. She is a Sorceress herself, and one who sought to stop the original conflict. Alas, Garden and SeeD broke away, became corrupt and dark, and in fear for her life, she retired here. She took technology from Esthar, and renovated this castle. It may look like a ruin from the outside, but within, it is ready to become your new home, Artemisia, and your stronghold._ " Sphinxaur grinned. " _She sleeps within what will become your new throne, Artemisia. She told me to tell you two things, as the vessel she sleeps in requires words to wake her…or to send her to her Knight. To wake her, speak the words 'Eyes on Me'. To send her into death, speak the words 'Your Existence Denied'. She told me it was to be your choice._ "

Artemisia looked at Shinji, before she nodded to Sphinxaur. "Thank you. My Knight and I shall retire to my chambers."

* * *

Half a world away, in Balamb Garden, a boy in his mid-teens, but with a rather too-adult nature to his poise, slashed away at a T-Rexaur in the Training Centre. The gunblade he wielded had a blade seemingly made of glowing blue energy. It was the model of gunblade known as the Lion Heart, but more than that, it was the particular gunblade known as the Leonhart, after its original wielder. It was also a family heirloom. And the reverence with which it was treated outside the family gave it the air of a holy relic.

The boy had long brown hair tied back in a ponytail, and pale, icy blue eyes, one of which was covered by an eyepatch. Not because said eye was damaged, but because the eyepatch was a special scanning device, used to assist him in battle. His face was handsome, but almost continually set either in a scowl, or in a more impassive expression. Or, as it was now, completely concentration. He was dressed in black trousers, with a black jacket on his back, with the emblem of a winged lion, Griever, on the back.

The T-Rexaur, badly wounded, sent him flying with a whack of its tail. He hit a fence hard, and felt the familiar energy surge up within him. " _Renzokuken_ ," he intoned, before he dashed at the massive monster and began slashing it at lightning speed with his gunblade. As the creature roared in pain, the teenager then intoned, " _Lion Heart_." The gunblade slashes became even more frenzied, explosions of energy tearing through the T-Rexaur's flesh.

When the creature fell apart into a small pile of wet, meaty chunks, the teenager flicked the blood off the Lion Heart, thinking to himself that it wasn't overkill, as long as you got the job done without collateral damage. Something Delita failed to realise.

He heard the sound of clapping, and a young woman was standing nearby, red-haired, and in the garb of the SeeD instructors. "Well done, Rash, even if you're being your usual reckless self."

"I told you not to call me that, Instructor Kinneas," the teenager said. "A number of times. My name is Arashi(1)."

"Yeah, well, you can lighten up. You've got to be professional on the job, but you don't have to be so damned unsociable, even if it's in the Leonhart genes."

"Did you come here for a good reason?" Arashi Leonhart asked coldly. "Or are you here to try and get me to be friends with fangirls again?"

"Rash, you wound me." Then, Instructor Kinneas' face became serious. "Actually, there is a reason I came here. Delita is dead."

"Big loss," Arashi grunted, as he looked at his gunblade. The arrogant young SeeD had taunted Arashi about his heritage on many an occasion, claiming that Arashi got special privileges because he was the descendant of Squall Leonhart and Rinoa Heartilly. He didn't know what it was like to be crushed by expectations, of being the one who would have to face the Sorceress. To be burdened with 'glorious' purpose. No, Delita, like too many SeeDs nowadays, was a glory hound, looking to be the one to kill the Last Sorceress. "Did the Sorceress cotton on to him and kill him?"

"No. Delita and his goons suffered a rather different fate," Kinneas said. "He jumped the gun and organised his cronies into an unauthorised mission to kill Sorceress Artemisia, whom we believe to be a strong candidate to be Ultimecia herself. We thus sent a drone to watch them, to see if Artemisia survived the battle, and to determine whether her combat capabilities have changed since the death of her original Knight. As it was, she didn't need to fight them. Somehow, Artemisia summoned something to fight for her, though judging by her expression, she was just as surprised by what emerged as Delita's minions were."

"And what was that?"

"Believe it or not, some sort of giant robot," Kinneas said, handing over a computer pad she had in her hand. Arashi peered at the massive purple robot that dropped from the sky, interference clouding the picture briefly before and during the robot's emergence. It wiped out the SeeDs effortlessly, before taking Artemisia and fleeing.

Arashi frowned, or at least more than he usually did. "Is there anything like that on record?"

"No. Even Esthar and Delingia never made anything that big, and it would have to be a tremendous feat of engineering to create a bipedal, humanoid robot. On the arm, there is a designation 'EVA 1 TEST', and on the shoulder, there is 'EVA 1'. The robot was last seen running in the direction of Xande's Valley. On a hunch, we directed our surveillance satellites on the area, and eventually found a campsite. The robot seems to have disappeared, but we can see a teenaged boy, dressed in what could be a pilotsuit of some kind, accompanying the Sorceress. They have since made their way to Xande's Castle, and have entered. We have sent scouts in to infiltrate the castle before and report on its defences, but they have been slain and their GFs absorbed by the guardian monsters of the castle(2). However, we know enough of the layout to give you a map, as well as some good intel on the monsters. We will need to get you prepared. Artemisia has already been marked for death."

"And it's up to me, the Heir to the Leonhart line, to kill her," Arashi remarked bitterly.

"Hey, you were born to this," Kinneas said.

"I never asked to be!" Arashi snapped. "Always told I was going to be the hero to save the world from Ultimecia, or else told I was a spoilt brat with delusions of grandeur! Always training, always fighting, for one purpose, never a thought given to what I wanted! Even in my own family!" As he stormed out of the Training Centre, he favoured Kinneas with another glare. "And you wonder why I don't lighten up? It's been squeezed out of me from the weight of all those expectations."

With that, he began storming down the corridors of Balamb Garden, knowing that soon he would be sent on the mission he was born to: to kill Artemisia. Or rather, Ultimecia. Maybe then he would know some peace…

* * *

" _What in Hyne's name is this?!_ " Artemisia screamed when she saw the apparatus set up before her in what was, admittedly, a magnificent throne room. It seemed open to the elements, but in fact, there was a magical shield that would stop the rain from hitting her. But it was marred by the apparatus set up in front of the raised throne.

It was circular, and seemed to be like someone had shrink-wrapped a woman inside. Said woman was dressed in sky-blue robes, and looked paradoxically old and young at the same time. Her heart-shaped face was lined, and yet, despite her repose, seemed to be full of vitality. Her hair was iron grey, but with a streak of black running through it. She was curled up in a foetal position.

"What is this thing?" Shinji asked.

"Esthar technology for suspended animation," Artemisia said with a scowl. "They used it to imprison the rogue Sorceress Adel, and keep her in orbit. And…of all the people to…"

Shinji put a hand on her shoulder. "Artemisia…what's wrong?"

Artemisia forced herself to calm down a little, if only for Shinji's sake. Eventually, she said, "This is a Sorceress who worked with the SeeDs to murder Ultimecia. She's aged and decrepit, but it's her. She may be a Sorceress, but she's a traitor, and I won't suffer her presence in my castle a minute longer!"

"Artemisia, no!" Shinji said. "Please…don't kill her."

Artemisia turned to face him. "And why not?"

"Because…I don't want to see you become a murderer."

"Why not? That's what they call me! I've already the blood of many SeeDs staining my hands, what is one more?"

"But…she hasn't hurt you. Those guys hurt you first, right? You killed them? I mean, I don't want to kill someone, even in self-defence, but…if they were trying to kill you, I can accept that. But…this woman…she hasn't done anything to you, has she? I mean, you said she killed Ultimecia. But what if that's not you? And more importantly, if Ultimecia is who you become…what if this is what turns you into her? That Sphinxaur thing gave you two passwords from this woman, one to revive her, and the other to kill her. Why would she allow you to kill her so easily?"

"…Maybe she was giving me the option of taking her power. When we are on the verge of death, we Sorceresses must bestow our powers onto another, or else our death is prolonged and painful. Anyway, who are you to speak of murder? You killed those SeeDs attacking me."

Shinji paled. "I was unconscious when I arrived in this world!" he protested. "It was the Evangelion! EVA Unit 01 sometimes goes berserk. That thing is a monster. But you're not, Artemisia! I know you're not! You may look strange, but you're not a bad person! I know you're not! Let's give her a chance! Then, well…if you have to…"

Artemisia scowled. But in a way, he had a point. Killing this woman now would only prove what everyone in the world thought: that she was a heartless monster. But this woman was also her sworn enemy, the Sorceress who helped the SeeDs murder Ultimecia. A traitor to her own kind.

After a moment, she pressed the button to activate the microphone for the voice-activation device, and spoke the hardest three words in her life so far.

"Eyes on Me," she said as clearly as she could, her voice thick with emotion.

" _Please repeat_ ," a synthesised voice said.

"Eyes on Me!" Artemisia snarled.

" _Codephrase recognised. Beginning revival process._ "

The transparent, plastic-like shroud containing the woman was filled with pink liquid, liquid that began to glow. After a few minutes, the woman began to shift and move. Then, the shroud tore, sending the woman out in a torrent of liquid, which she hacked up out of her lungs. Then, shakily, she got to her feet, opening her eyes, revealing dark irises, the most beautiful thing about her. She looked around in awe, before her eyes met those of Artemisia. Her eyes widened in shock and recognition, before she lunged…and drew Artemisia in for a hug. "I'm sorry…" the old woman said quietly. "Oh, Hyne, I am so sorry…and thank you, Ultimecia, for trusting me."

"What do you mean? I'm Artemisia, not Ultimecia!" Artemisia protested angrily.

"I know who you are," the old woman said. "I know what you may become. I can see it in your eyes. But maybe…if you saw fit to revive me…you may be able to steer away from that fate. I truly hope so. None of us wanted it to happen…but SeeD and Garden had strayed from its purpose. It must have fallen even further if you're here. Thank you for reviving me, Artemisia. Perhaps things won't be so bad after all."

"Umm, sorry, but who are you?" Shinji asked.

"Sorry, are you her Knight?" the old woman asked.

"He is," Artemisia said. "Shinji Ikari, my Knight."

"Oh, good. That's good. Anyway, Shinji, my name is Rinoa Leonhart." A pair of immaculate, white, angelic wings, seemingly made of pure white light, sprouted from the old woman's back. She looked at Artemisia with a smile. "And with my help, you two can change the future…"

 **CHAPTER 3 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Yes, Rinoa is appearing in this story! Now, in my story, in other iterations of the time-loop, Ultimecia killed Rinoa, either by using the self-destruct command, or else by destroying the stasis device. However, in this story, she will become a mentor to Ultimecia. This Rinoa is over a century old (kept alive by her Sorceress powers), long after Squall and the others have died. She's lived long enough to see SeeD and Garden go down a very dark path, hence what she has done, with the few actual allies she had left in SeeD.**

 **In writing Arashi Leonhart, I didn't want to just write Squall 2.0. I wanted to write a mirror to Shinji, to Ultimecia, and to Asuka (whom I intend to pair him with). Arashi has had expectations made of him all of his life. Whereas Squall's emotional issues are due to his disdaining attachments because of pain of loss (namely Ellone), Arashi disdains attachments because he feels nobody wants to know the real him. He isn't sure whether there IS a real him anymore. He's basically a dark distillation of Harry Potter, Sasuke Uchiha, Shinji and Asuka. Some of this story will be about him meeting people who don't give a damn for his reputation. I've decided, with this chapter, that Arashi will arrive to kill Ultimecia at the same time as they get back to the world of** ** _Evangelion_** **.**

 **EDIT: I've just received a guest review that states that there's actually a writer on this website called 'Arashi Leonhart'. Oops. Well, frankly, I'm going to keep the name, but I'm going to write a disclaimer here that I didn't know about this writer. Sorry, Arashi Leonhart, if you happen to read this! _Mea culpa_.**

 **Review-answering time! I'm surprised I got so many so quickly. Anyway, first,** **edboy4926** **: I've decided that Shinji and Ultimecia are going to head to Shinji's world as soon as possible. You'll see the start of that in the next chapter. So too will Arashi Leonhart.**

 **DivineDemon1** **: Sadly for what you want, Ultimecia, or at least this version, is heading to Shinji's world with him. However, that doesn't mean she isn't going to give NERV, or at least Gendo Ikari, along with SEELE, hell. And she and Asuka will get into a verbal catfight.**

 **1\. In Japanese, 'Arashi' means 'storm'. Fans often called the Fourth Hokage of** ** _Naruto_** **this, until his true name was revealed. In addition, there is a famous Japanese band called Arashi, which I know through the gameshow** ** _Versus Arashi_** **, which was entertaining. Given that Arashi's ancestor was called 'Squall', I thought calling him 'Arashi' would be appropriate. What did you think I should call him?** ** _Cloud?_**

 **2\. I decided that this was how the various bosses in Ultimecia's Castle had obtained the GFs you can draw from them.**


	5. Chapter 4: Revenants- Rumours of Death

**CHAPTER 4:**

 **REVENANTS/RUMOURS OF DEATH HAVE BEEN EXAGGERATED**

Shinji looked at the old woman as she finished looking at the computer system near the stasis machine she had emerged from, before she closed her eyes, tears trickling from them. "It's even worse than we feared. Despite our best efforts, SeeD and Garden are embarking on a worldwide pogrom of Sorceresses, according to the worldwide network," she whispered quietly. "Even though Edea and I are venerated…they disregard my words, and those of my friends. Selphie, Irvine, Quistis, Zell…and Squall."

"That was SeeD's true purpose," Artemisia sneered. "To exterminate the Sorceresses!"

"No! No, SeeD was designed to defend the world from _rogue_ Sorceresses!" Rinoa protested. She looked over at Artemisia. "I know this because I was told by the founders of SeeD and Garden. Edea and Cid Kramer. Whatever SeeD has become, it was not intended this way!"

"And what of the Sorceress you and your SeeD masters murdered? The one everyone seems to think I am?"

"Ultimecia was trying to absorb all creation into herself. Even before she embarked on Time Compression, she murdered hundreds, if not thousands, of innocent lives, in the past." Rinoa sighed quietly. "We did what we had to to save our present. Knowing what must have driven Ultimecia to that point made it harder to live with it afterwards. Especially as we could see it growing up around us. The fear…and with it, the hatred. We were elevated as heroes and saints…but of a cult that was beginning to poison the minds of the world. Sorceresses were already feared before Ultimecia reached back in time. This merely started an irreversible process that made them truly hated. Even Adel didn't cause this much hatred."

"And why did you freeze yourself? Why did you want me to awaken you?" Artemisia demanded.

"A number of reasons. I wanted to try and guide you away from that fate. Don't deny it, Artemisia. The potential to become Ultimecia sleeps within you."

"And why should I listen? The world has taken so much from me. My family, my Knight, my freedom from fear…why should I not give them back the pain they gave me a millionfold over?"

"You're not like that, Artemisia!" Shinji protested.

"And you've known me for a day at most, Shinji. You don't know me much at all," Artemisia said coldly.

"Even so, Artemisia, he's right. I don't see the Sorceress Ultimecia in front of me. I see the _potential_ to become her, true, but what I see more than that is a girl who is afraid and angry," Rinoa said. "Afraid of her own powers, and of the world, and angry against the world."

"Just what I needed, psychoanalysis from a traitor to my kind," Artemisia sneered.

"Artemisia…the actions of Ultimecia and SeeD worked to cause a time loop. You can choose to keep going on a course for vengeance and power, or, with your Knight, stand steadfast against all troubles. In any case, I also intend to offer you something. My time is almost up. When I die, my Sorceress power must have a receptacle."

"And you want me to receive them?"

"Yes. As a show of good will…I will grant you a boon. Shinji, that purple demon figure you have in your hand, you are aware that it has a soul inside?"

Shinji blinked, remembering Artemisia mentioning the same thing, but having forgotten it at the time. He looked at the shrunken EVA Unit 01 in his hand, before nodding tentatively. "Umm, Artemisia said the same thing."

"The soul is integrated within, so I can't actually draw it out. However…" Rinoa closed her eyes. "I can give it a body to interact with you both."

Magic gathered around Rinoa's hands, and then began to envelop a spot on the ground. Something began to grow, as if out of the air itself. White things, which turned out to be bones, forming a skeleton. Muscle, blood vessels, and organs formed, as did connective tissue and fat. Skin wrapped itself around the body, hair sprouting. Shinji realised it was a naked woman, and was about to look away when a skintight bodysuit appeared. He realised it was a plugsuit!

The woman was very familiar to Shinji. If he didn't know any better, she looked like a grown-up Rei, but with light brown hair and less-pale skin. But there was something more. Something that seemed to call to him.

Suddenly, the woman convulsed, taking in a deep breath, her brown eyes opening wide. She sat up, staring around her, before blinking. "Oh, this is weird. Haven't looked through human eyes in…a decade now?" she said in Japanese. She gently began touching her face, then her hair.

"What is this?" Artemisia asked. "Who is this?"

"Artemisia, this is an artificial body that the soul within that thing is controlling. I took the clothes and appearance from her memories."

The woman got to her feet, not apparently noticing Shinji at first. "English, or something like it," the woman said in English. "God, but this is weird speaking after such a long time, and…SHINJI!" She whirled to face Shinji, her eyes wide and wild, before she lunged and gathered him up in a hug. "Shinji, Shinji, I am so sorry. I am so, so sorry. I wish your father didn't do those things he did, he should have followed the plan, and I…I…oh God, can you forgive me?"

"Uhh, I don't know who you are," Shinji said, not knowing what she needed forgiveness for.

"Oh, yes. I forgot. You were very young when I…became part of the Evangelion," the woman said. She looked pensive for a moment, as if gathering the courage to say something. "Shinji…I am your mother, Doctor Yui Ikari. I am also part of the control interface of Evangelion Unit 01."

There were many responses that Shinji could have had to such a revelation. So in retrospect, fainting was not at all surprising…

* * *

Yui caught Shinji as he collapsed, flinching briefly as he dropped the shrunken Evangelion. Artemisia raised an eyebrow. "That went well," she remarked.

"He's had a lot to deal with, Artemisia," Yui said. "Not as much as you, but…well, you've heard some of the story. I'll speak of the rest of it, but once my son is awake again."

"The bedrooms of the castle are nearby," Rinoa said. "Let's go there…"

* * *

As Artemisia looked on, Yui gently revived her son. His eyes flickered open, and he looked up at the ceiling. "…Another unfamiliar ceiling," he murmured. He then looked over at his mother, and frowned. "I thought it was a dream."

"No, Shinji. Oh, I'm so glad we can talk like this. I mean, if I tried through the A-10 clips, it might have fried your brain, unless you were in the right state." Tears ran down her face. "Shinji, I am so sorry."

"…Sorry for what?"

"I will tell you. I will understand if you…hate what I did. I will understand you being angry with me. But please understand, I did what I thought was the best course of action at the time."

And so, Yui Ikari began telling her tale, of how she was the daughter of an influential member of an organisation known as SEELE. How she came to meet Gendo Ikari, and Professor Fuyutsuki. How Second Impact was engineered by SEELE, despite her objections, and those of her father, all in order to begin the first stages of the Human Instrumentality Project. How GEHIRN was founded, the organisation that would give rise to NERV. How increasing threats to Yui's life led her to deciding on the most drastic course of action: to allow herself to be absorbed into EVA Unit 01, and become part of the control interface, where Shinji's desire for attachment would help the Evangelion work. And how Gendo disregarded her instructions, pushed Shinji away.

After a while, Shinji asked, in a rather bleak voice, "Why couldn't you tell me before? I mean, you were inside the EVA, weren't you?"

"Yes, but…my mind was mostly subsumed by that of the Evangelion Unit. It was dominant. And as I said, I couldn't speak to you, save indirectly," Yui said quietly. "When your mind was receptive, for example. I'm sorry, I truly am. But…I'm here now. You know I'm here."

"…Mother…I have a lot of questions to ask you…but I guess…one of them is…well, why do you look so much like Rei?"

"Ah, Rei. Yes. I thought we'd be getting to her sooner or later. Enough of my cells remained whole after my body was reduced to LCL, along with laboratory samples, that Gendo could begin a project to recreate me. But he combined this with what we called the 'Ayanami Project', an attempt to create an artificial Evangelion pilot. He also combined that with a project I was designing called the 'Dummy Plug' system. It's rather like an autopilot for an Evangelion. Anyway, Gendo created his ideal Evangelion pilot, along with a key to unlock Third Impact for his own ends. Rei Ayanami is a clone of me. She is also part-Angel, specifically, Lilith."

Shinji stared at his mother. For a moment, Artemisia thought he was going to faint again. Instead, he blushed furiously. "I…ended up falling on top of her. By accident. While she was naked."

"Yes, I know. I can see your memories at times when we synchronise," Yui said with a sad smile that soon turned impish. "Don't worry, I won't hold it against you. Though I actually find it a little funny that you accidentally groped a clone of me."

As Shinji's blush deepened, Rinoa frowned. "Dr Ikari, what do you mean that Rei is a key to unlock Third Impact?"

"Precisely that. SEELE intend to harness the power of Third Impact to forcefully evolve all of humanity. I wished to do something similar, only with less lives lost initially, and to give humanity a choice between staying as they are, and evolving. Gendo, though…he wishes only to be reunited with me, and he couldn't care less if the rest of the world has to die for it to happen. This is in spite of my wishes. Rei, being part-Angel, can be used to trigger Third Impact. All Gendo needs is Adam, and I know he has it somewhere in NERV HQ." Looking over at Artemisia, she remarked, "Speaking of Angel hybrids…"

"I've never been to your homeworld, or indeed any other," Artemisia said.

"No. But I am fairly certain you are part-Angel. I was listening in when you told Shinji about the legend of Hyne. And my sensors in EVA Unit 01 indicate hybridisation." Yui's eyes went over to Rinoa. "I sense the same about you, albeit to a lesser degree. You two are Nephilim, part-Angel, part-human. Don't worry, as long as you're not trying to bring about the Apocalypse, I'm fine with it. But there must've been two Seeds of Life on this world, just as there have been back on Earth. A White Moon of Adam, and a Black Moon of Lilith."

"But…mother…why are the Angels attacking Tokyo-3?" Shinji asked.

"Simple. Lilith is there, deep within NERV HQ. It's almost certain that if an Angel manages to merge with Lilith, Third Impact will occur. All humanity would perish, and the Angels would repopulate the world. The Angels, you see, are basically the lifeforms that would've resulted had the world been populated by Adam's progeny, rather than Lilith's. We're the descendants, so to speak, of Lilith, her biomorphic energies affecting the evolution of life on Earth. Lilith grants the 'Fruit of the Tree of Knowledge', giving an eventual descendant sentience and intelligence. Adam grants the 'Fruit of the Tree of Life', giving his descendants powers that we think of as supernatural. Most aren't even sentient, though I think Leliel was trying to make contact with you by infiltrating your mind."

Shinji frowned. "I thought that was a dream…talking with that other me, with the striped shirt. Was…was that the Angel?"

"I think so. What's more, the computer on the EVA has just finished analysing the portal we fell through. Time moves differently in this world compared to home."

"That's another thing," Shinji said. "I thought the EVA Units only had about five minutes of battery time. Well, despite that whole berserker thing. So how are you active?"

"My soul acts independently of the EVA Unit. But the computer on the EVA is another matter. And yet, since Artemisia here shrunk the EVA Unit, the power has been recharged. I think the Sorceress powers, because they are caused by a Nephilim, might actually be able to recharge the EVA Unit." Yui looked over at Rinoa and Artemisia once more. "Maybe you two both have S2 organs, or something like them."

"S2 organs?" Rinoa asked.

"Think of it as a battery, but with infinite capacity," Yui said. "A Super-Solenoid organ." She shook her head. "Never mind about that. I think Shinji and I had better get to work on getting home."

"Home?" Artemisia asked in disbelief. "But…that means…you're leaving me!"

"Does it?" Yui asked. She looked at Artemisia. "While I cannot promise for certain, it's more than likely that you won't be persecuted for your powers at home. You may have to deal with NERV scientists wanting to analyse you…but I think I will deal with that."

Artemisia stared at Yui, astonished by the audacity of such a thought. But the decision came easily to her. "It can't be any worse for me than this world. I've had enough of it. Of SeeD, of Garden, of the pogroms against me. I'd rather try my luck in a new world, even one besieged by the Angels. There's nothing here for me."

"Perhaps that is for the best," Rinoa said. "If you leave this world, the time loop may be broken. And when the timelines resettle, a new version of you may be able to live in peace. But even if that does not turn out to be the case…I will go to death willingly knowing that you are safe. We'd better formulate a plan to get you back across to your world, Shinji and Yui." She looked at Artemisia. "Who knows, Artemisia? You might have a great life…"

 **CHAPTER 4 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Hope you enjoyed this chapter, although it's more than a little wordy. And yes, Yui having a magical remote body will have an impact at NERV, and on Gendo. And it is NOT going to be a pretty reunion between Yui and Gendo. In fact, Yui's rejection of Gendo is going to play a big role in the events to come. Oh, and in case you were wondering…yes, Ultimecia's Castle is going to be coming to Tokyo-3 as well.**

 **There'll be more Shinji/Ultimecia in the next chapter.**

 **Review-answering time!** **Reishin Amara** **: …What are you smoking?**

 **jgkitarel** **: Maybe, but as you'll see in later chapters, Arashi has a big chip on his shoulder about his ancestors. He hates their guts because, in his eyes, they put the unwanted burden of being destined to fight Ultimecia on him. The reunion between Arashi and Rinoa is brief and bloody.**

 **solitaire** **: Offhand, I can't think of any other than those you mentioned. Though at least three main characters (Ricard, Kain and Cid) have the last name of** ** _Highwind_** **. And Seifer sounds a bit like a corruption of 'zephyr', another name for a wind. And while Tidus is not named for a weather phenomenon, he may be named for the tides…**

 **No numbered annotations this time…**


	6. Chapter 5: Bonds- Defying the Hedgehog's

**CHAPTER 5:**

 **BONDS/DEFYING THE HEDGEHOG'S DILEMMA**

Over the next day, Artemisia, Shinji, and Rinoa subdued the various guardian monsters of the castle. Yui held back: though good at fighting when she was inside the Evangelion, as a human, she was less successful. She became their medic, though, healing them after every battle, with Rinoa supplying curative Para-Magic for Yui to use.

Artemisia, Shinji noticed, was still wary of Rinoa. But she was also beginning to give the older Sorceress the benefit of the doubt. Reluctantly, yes. But she was treating Rinoa less as a murderous traitor and an ogre, and more as someone who could be of use.

The battles had been arduous, but Shinji, who used a special rifle they had found in the armoury of the castle, fought from afar, while Rinoa and Artemisia used their magic. Thankfully, the actual battles were only a few: they had to fight Tiamat, Krysta, and Catoblepas, but the others had acceded that Artemisia was to be their new master without hassle. It was Rinoa and Artemisia who did most of the fighting, though. Shinji was mostly support.

That night, after a meal, Shinji and Artemisia went up the clock tower, where they had subdued Tiamat, a massive dragon, earlier that day. Shinji was surprised at how well he had battled, but Rinoa had given him the ability to use Para-Magic without being junctioned, whatever that meant. Then again, she also said that, in a manner, he was already junctioned to the Evangelion. He had even managed to 'Draw' a GF from Tiamat, Eden. Rinoa had remarked that that took her back.

Now, they stood at the balcony of the clock tower, looking out at the moonlit landscape. Shinji was dressed in black trousers, a white shirt, and a dark jacket. Artemisia had replaced her clothes with a red gown, an elegant thing(1). She told Shinji that she rarely got the chance to wear nice clothes, given that she was always on the run.

After a moment, Shinji said, "I'm not much of a fighter, am I? I'm not much use as your Knight."

Artemisia was silent for a time. Shinji almost thought she agreed with him, until she said, "When Ramza died, I vowed to get as strong as I could, with the help of nobody else. Until Delita came along, I was doing that. So…why did I accept him? The simple truth is, I was lonely. I hated being isolated, and Delita seemed like a gift from Hyne himself. I should have realised it was too good to be true. But even then…I hate being alone. It has been the curse of a Sorceress since time immemorial. We are set apart from humanity. That is why we need a Knight. Many Sorceresses are powerful enough to fight alone. But the Knight…the Knight is a defence against loneliness." She looked up at the moon. "Earlier, your mother and I got to talking. She was…concerned about me being with you."

"Why?"

"Just maternal concern, I think," Artemisia said. "She thought I brought you two here. I'm not sure whether I did or not. And she's a little afraid of my power. She saved my life, though. Anyway, I was talking about us to her. She remarked about how desperate, in a way, we were to latch onto each other. Your parents' actions isolated you from others, and the world's actions did so to me. She mentioned something called the 'Hedgehog's Dilemma'."

Shinji frowned. "I think Misato mentioned it, said it was something Ritsuko told her about. I don't think she told me anything else."

Artemisia nodded. "Yui knew it. It was elucidated by a philosopher of your world called Arthur Schopenhauer. Hedgehogs must huddle together to share warmth during winter, and yet, they will hurt themselves on their companions' spines. In a similar way, human intimacy inevitably causes some pain, and many distance themselves to try and prevent pain. Yui also mentioned something by a man called Samuel Johnson: _He who makes a beast of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man_. She theorises that may have been a key reason for many Sorceresses going rogue." Artemisia sighed, looking over at Shinji. "Even so, I'm a little anxious. If we do manage to make it back to your world…I'm worried about the reactions of those there."

"You're pretty powerful, Artemisia," Shinji said with a smile.

"But I'm not invulnerable. I'm not a fool. I nearly fell to subterfuge. Only the fact that SeeD would not try something as ridiculous as making a giant robot to double-bluff me ensured that I trusted you at all. And I'm sick of a life where I have to remain on the run. Even if your world is in danger of extinction from the Angels, if it means there is a world I can call home without fear for my very existence eventually…I will gladly go there. This world has nothing for me. In order to live without fear here, I may have to kill everyone on this world." Artemisia looked back to the moon. "I realised something, actually. Killing Rinoa…it may have been the first step to becoming Ultimecia. Rinoa recognised me. She met, even fought Ultimecia firsthand. But…at the same time…she recognises that I'm not Ultimecia, not yet. I thought she would try to kill me. Instead, I have something worse: her pity. Her sympathy."

"…Because you thought she was a villain?"

"Because I _knew_ she was a villain!" Artemisia snarled. Her face screwed up in a brief paroxysm of anger, before she calmed herself. "I hate her. I can't help but hate her, because even if she and her SeeD comrades didn't want this, they are still the cause of my life being utter hell!" Her golden eyes flickered over to Shinji. "I'm surprised that you don't hate your mother."

Shinji was surprised by the statement, and he thought about it. "I…I'm angry, annoyed, maybe a bit resentful," Shinji admitted. "But…I don't hate my mother. She at least told me what had happened. And she apologised. Two things my father never did. No, all he said was, ' _I have a use for you. Shut up and pilot the giant robotic monster against the genocidal alien monster_ '." As Artemisia giggled, Shinji said, "I'm paraphrasing a little. My mother…I wish she didn't make that decision. I'm angry at her. But at the same time, I can understand why. And, well, those times when the Evangelion went berserk…it was her trying to protect me. I knew there was something familiar about the scent in the Evangelion. I have my mother back."

"Aren't you worried that she's faking it?" On Shinji's glare, Artemisia recoiled. "Sorry, it's just…having been fooled by people before, I'm just somewhat anxious about people faking this sort of thing to get their own way. I'm concerned for my Knight, Shinji. I'm worried about you. I want to minimise your hurt if I can."

"If she is faking it…and I don't believe that for a second, but if she is…I won't be happy. I'll set you onto her," Shinji said.

Artemisia smiled. "Well, I guess destroying a massive robot would be a challenge," she mused. "Not to mention these Angels. I need to start training in earnest to use my powers to their full potential. And I need to start training you. Your biggest asset to me, Shinji, is your compassion and warmth. But you are not really a skilled fighter outside your Evangelion, and we need to have you ready to defend me as my Knight. You fought well enough against the guardians and the monsters roaming this castle, but we need you better."

"I know. I'm a joke of a fighter, aren't I?"

"Shinji…you're better than you think you are. You were not trained by the military of your world, and yet, you managed to defeat at least two Angels by yourself, and played a key role in the defeat of others. You don't have to lie to yourself, Shinji. You don't have to lie to _me_. As long as you don't get an ego like that Asuka girl, I am fine with what you are."

"And I'm fine with what you are, Artemisia."

Artemisia smiled rather sadly. "The last person to say anything like that to me…was Ramza. You'd have liked him, Shinji." She looked at her taloned hands, and chuckled, bitterly. "For all my power as a Sorceress, I could not bring him back from the dead. That…was one of the reasons I considered using Time Compression. With that power, I could bring him back. We could've been happy. Forever happy."

After a moment, Shinji said, quietly, "If it meant innocent people would suffer, would he have wanted it?"

"Innocence is such a relative term," Artemisia said. "Even those who do not wish to persecute Sorceresses are frequently too spineless to help us. SeeD and the governments who they have the ear of silence any opposition. It is fear, fear of Ultimecia, and a need to stop her from rising, that fuels this." She looked to the moon again, before she said, "It's a good name, even if it is a cursed name. Ultimecia. The Last Sorceress. I don't know whether there are any left on this world aside from myself."

"They don't deserve you," Shinji said. He found himself surprised by how much at ease he felt around Artemisia. Maybe…it was because she reminded him of Rei and Asuka. Both with dark pasts that he knew little about, at least until his mother filled in the blanks. Rei was a clone of his mother, intended to help trigger Third Impact. And Asuka…Yui only knew of what happened to Asuka's mother because it had been gossiped about throughout GEHIRN at the time in front of her Evangelion. The woman had tried to improve on Yui's technique, only for part of her soul, the maternal part, to be sucked into the machine. She never recognised her daughter again, only recognising a crude doll as Asuka, and throttling Asuka in a fit of madness(2).

And then, eventually, Kyoko Zeppelin Sohryu hung herself. Along with the doll. And Asuka, who had just been told she was selected as an Evangelion pilot, had discovered the body on what should have been the best day of her life.

Shinji recalled a night during their training to fight Israfel, when she snuck into his room and slept on his bed, and he heard her murmur about her mother in a sorrowful manner. Now he knew why. As fucked up as he was, that was even more so, and it was no wonder Asuka was so arrogant. When he got home, he was going to give both Rei and Asuka a hug.

But what Artemisia went through, neither of them had. Or should have had to.

"No…I've had enough of this world. I wash my hands of it," Artemisia said.

"You may have to wait a little while," Rinoa said, climbing up a nearby ladder, showing surprising alacrity for a woman her age. "It'll take another day for the castle's engines to get ready for the trip back. And apparently Xande had created something not unlike the S2 Engine, while researching the Sorceresses he stole powers from. One of them powers the castle, but there's one Yui is fitting onto the Evangelion. It doesn't have infinite capacity, not like the S2 Engines of your world, but EVA Unit 01 can operate without a power cable for hours rather than minutes. We even have others for the other EVA Units."

"Is that safe?" Shinji asked.

"I trust Yui, Shinji," Rinoa said. "She knows more about the Evangelions than I do. I mean, she is one." She walked over to Artemisia. "And I can't honestly blame you for wanting to leave Mondas. This isn't the world I fought to save, along with Squall." A tear trickled down her face. "My time is coming soon, to rejoin Squall and the others. I may have a myriad of regrets, but…I'll be honest: your survival is not one of them. As long as you don't become what Ultimecia was…I will die with some happiness in my heart."

"…Is it so wrong to want to bring my love back from the dead?" Artemisia said.

"The road to hell is paved with the best of intentions. My friends and I walked right down that very road, and we tried to backtrack. Only time will tell if we succeeded. Artemisia…I know I will probably be hated by you for the rest of your life. But…if it means changing the future and the past for the better, I will gladly endure it."

"…I don't know what I feel for you," Artemisia admitted. "I'm not sure why I am even listening to you. Words are, after all, one of the most insidious weapons. Rinoa…why did you provide me with the castle?"

"The castle we fought Ultimecia in needed to come from somewhere. I wanted to either preserve the time loop…or else provide the catalyst for you to break free of your chains. I refuse to accept that free will is an illusion, that with the wills of enough people, the future can be changed. It's my fervent hope that, if you do leave this world, it breaks the time loop. Perhaps another version of you won't grow up in a world of fear. That's worth enduring anything."

After a moment, Shinji and Artemisia decided to head back to the bedrooms for some rest. Today was going to be a big day, after all…

* * *

On the other side of the Valley of Xande, Arashi Leonhart glared over at the Castle of Xande. Finally, the mission he had been born to complete had fallen upon him. Maybe afterwards, he would know some peace. But as he stared at his destination from his campsite, he knew that he wouldn't get his wish. He would be praised, and yet be the target of jealousy.

His parents had died when he was young in a plane crash. He had nobody here. No friends, just sycophants. A disturbing thing for a teenager to realise, and even more so that his life was hollow, devoid of purpose beyond the mission to kill Ultimecia.

He contemplated the gunblade in his hands. He was like the Lion Heart, he realised. Gaudy and powerful…but with no purpose of his own, just a singular one imposed by others. A weapon with no will of his own.

Some small part of him wished that, even if he prevailed against Ultimecia, he would die in the process. A heroic, martyr's death…and one where he didn't have to be alive as this…hollow man.

Yes. Tomorrow would see it end. One way or another. A heroic death. A good death. Instead of a mediocre life…

 **CHAPTER 5 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Yeah, pretty dark. I wanted Arashi to have some personality, and it's pretty dark, even compared to Squall. I'm sure his theme would be** ** _Komm, Süsser Tod_** **. A lot of this story will be about him growing. In fact, the next chapter, which will have the transition between Mondas and Earth, will be where he meets the others for the first time. And it won't be pretty.**

 **Review-answering time!** **laddie7** **: Shinji won't be using a gunblade. It's doubtful that he will actually fight Arashi.**

 **1\. Think what Ultimecia wears in the game, only with much less exposed skin. It's not open at the front, unlike Ultimecia's gown in canon, and is less figure-hugging. Still a bit that way, but not that much.**

 **2\. I honestly can't remember if this happened in the anime. It does happen in the manga, though, and I thought this was too good a detail to leave out.**


	7. Chapter 6: Rise and Fall- A Sacrifice is

**CHAPTER 6:**

 **RISE AND FALL/A SACRIFICE IS MADE**

Rinoa smiled as she looked at the readouts on the control panel in front of her, Yui looking over her shoulder. They were in the control room of the castle the next day. "Systems are looking good," Rinoa said. "A hybrid of Xande's own Magitek, and Esthar technology, working together. It needs time to warm up, but we've already locked onto the space-time anomaly that brought you and your son here."

"It's going to cause some comment, having a flying castle come into existence over Tokyo-3," Yui said with considerable understatement.

"Any more than alien monsters being defeated by gigantic cyborgs?"

"Point," Yui conceded. "But the people of Tokyo-3 are probably a little more used to the Angels and the Evangelions. I personally know several engineers would be drooling to get their hands on this sort of tech."

"Speaking of which, that pseudo-S2 engine in your Evangelion, has it integrated?"

"I've done diagnostics. I can say with maybe 74% accuracy that it won't go kaboom, fwoosh, or any other kind of catastrophic failure that makes people void their bowels," Yui remarked. "And considering that my son's been involved with plans with considerably less chance of success and managed to succeed…well, what was it that British author, Terry Pratchett, said? Million to one chances happen nine times out of ten. This body you made for me, is it stable?"

"Yes. It's basically a biological robot, a bioroid. It's basically running on its own version of a S2 engine, albeit lower key. You have the same strength and agility as, say, a human athlete, but you can't go all superhero. Then again, your soul is part of the control interface of the giant doombot."

"But if the body gets destroyed?"

"I've taught Artemisia the spell. She can do it for the other Evangelions as well."

"I'm worried about Asuka's reaction," Shinji said, as he walked in, Artemisia in tow. The latter was now dressed in a black and crimson plugsuit she had created, under Rinoa's tuition, with her own power (and where the EVA Unit number would be on a standard plugsuit, Artemisia had something like an upside-down omega). Shinji was back in his plugsuit too. It was decided that the two teenagers, plus Yui's proxy body, would remain in the Evangelion during transition. Rinoa would also enter, but had opted to remain in her own robes. The reason? Because the pocket dimension within the Angel Leliel was a vacuum, or near enough. "I mean, if her mother killed herself right in front of Asuka, how would she react to knowing that her mother's soul was in EVA Unit 02 all the time?"

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it, Shinji," Yui said. "Asuka might react badly…or she might be ecstatic. It might actually stabilise her psyche. I'm actually more concerned with what soul is within EVA Unit 00. For a time, I thought it could very well have been Dr Naoko Akagi, but I'm not so certain."

"Is she Ritsuko's mother?"

"Yeah, and she had an affair with Gendo. I think Ritsuko did as well. I'm going to be having words with her," Yui said, her eyes glinting with a promise to do more than 'have words'.

"As fascinating as this is," Artemisia said, rolling her gold-coloured eyes, "how long till we can leave this dreadful world?"

"I need to run some last safety checks, but we can actually take off any time…" Suddenly, an alarm wailed. Rinoa stabbed at the panel, and stared at some surveillance footage just outside the castle. "I think we may have to do them on the fly! Look!"

Artemisia looked at the figure approaching the castle. As the camera zoomed in, she gasped. "Arashi Leonhart!" she exclaimed.

Rinoa looked at her sharply. "Is…is that one of my descendants?"

"The last of the Leonharts," Artemisia snarled. "SeeD's greatest hope. Supposedly, he's been trained since birth to kill Ultimecia. Garden must want to finish me off."

Rinoa began jabbing buttons. "My family has fallen far," she murmured as the castle began to shake. "Okay, hold on tight, because this is going to be one of those moments!" She blinked. "And why did I have this sudden urge to yell ' _CATCH-A-RIIIDE(_ _1)_ _!_ '?"

"Because you're going senile," Artemisia snarked. "Get this castle going!"

"I can't make it go any faster! Yui, can you activate the AT Field to open up the dimensional cicatrice?" Rinoa asked.

"Not yet, we need to get airborne and Shinji into the Evangelion first! It only has a limited range!"

"The castle's rising!" Shinji breathed in awe.

"Look!" Artemisia yelled, pointing at the screen. Arashi Leonhart had leapt, and was currently clinging for dear life on the edge of the castle as it rose into the air. The SeeD managed to scramble up, and was entering the castle. "And you told me to withdraw the guardians so that they would survive the journey! All that's left are normal monsters!"

"Okay, change of plan," Rinoa said. "Shinji, Artemisia, into the Evangelion! I'll delay him! Don't argue! It'll be a few minutes before we're high enough to open up the dimensional scarring! And you're safest in the Evangelion!"

The Evangelion had been brought back to normal size, and was currently kneeling in the gardens of the castle. Yui began bustling Shinji and Artemisia away. But as they left, Artemisia looked back at Rinoa. Golden eyes met dark eyes, and an unspoken message passed between them. That there was some small respect, because Artemisia knew that Rinoa would probably die. Then, the two teenagers were gone, along with the human proxy body of a massive war machine.

Rinoa steadied her breathing. She knew she was going to die. She had known that for a long time. It was why she took the risk of putting herself into stasis, giving Ultimecia, or rather, the girl who would become Ultimecia, the choice to kill her, or revive her, and learn from her. It could have gone better, but considering how the time loop had gone before, she felt it could have been much worse. Artemisia was damaged, bitter, twisted, and misanthropic. But she was far from beyond redemption. All she needed was someone who cared.

A Knight was more than someone who protected a Sorceress from harm. Indeed, most Sorceress didn't need that sort of protection. They could lay waste to an army with a snap of their fingers if they needed to. No, a Knight was a better sort of protection, an anchor to reality, to humanity, that sometimes a Sorceress needed. And Shinji was that anchor. Better Artemisia have a chance in a world that actually might give her a chance.

She began to walk out of the engine room, even as the castle rose further into the sky. There was one last thing she needed to do.

* * *

Arashi Leonhart dashed through the corridors of the castle, running past monsters, slashing any that got in his way. His eyepatch was tracking the Sorceress signatures. Yes, signatures, plural. There were _two_ Sorceresses in this castle. And one of them was moving to intercept him.

He wouldn't let this one stand in the way. But when he emerged onto an outdoors walkway, he stopped. The woman standing in his way was ancient, dressed in blue robes. Towering not far away, even when kneeling, was the massive robot he had seen in the footage.

"You are Arashi Leonhart?" the woman asked, clearly a Sorceress, judging by the readouts of his eyepatch.

"I am. Are you Ultimecia?"

"No. And I won't let you hurt her," the woman said, her voice maddeningly familiar. Had he heard it in a vid? "Even if you are of my blood."

He scowled. "Regardless, all Sorceresses must be hunted down," he said, pointing the Lion Heart at her.

"You dare to raise my own Knight's gunblade against me?" the woman asked, not angrily, but in a tone laden with sorrow.

"Your own Knight?" Arashi demanded. "This is the Lion Heart, Squall Leonhart's weapon! And…" Suddenly, he came to a sickening realisation. He stared at the ancient woman in horror. "It can't be…"

"The Gil's dropped, hasn't it?" the woman asked. "Yes, I am Rinoa Heartilly, your ancestor, and I have to say, while I am not disappointed by your skills, the same cannot be said for your purpose."

"SeeD must destroy the Sorceress!" Arashi yelled. He felt the anger he felt at his ancestors for placing this onerous task on his shoulders welling forth. "In order to ensure that, all Sorceresses must die! Prevention is better than the cure!"

"And yet, my blood, the blood of a Sorceress, runs through your veins," Rinoa said. A pitying look came over her face. "Hypocrite," she said, sadly. "SeeD was founded to stop a _single_ Sorceress, and you try to do so by committing genocide."

"Don't you dare judge me!" Arashi screamed, rushing at Rinoa. As she dodged his sword slashes with an agility someone of her age shouldn't have, he yelled, "You and Squall burdened me with this purpose! Your bloody reputations, the ideals you represent, have been rammed into me every second of every day, and you dare to tell me that I am a hypocrite?! I don't care about SeeD! I don't care about you! All I care about is finishing the mission! So just die and get out of my way so I can finish it! Then…I can know…some…PEACE!"

"Oh, I am going to die, Arashi Leonhart," Rinoa said, before sending him flying with a gesture. "I'm buying time with my life, the only currency I have left to spend. Soon, there will be no more Sorceresses on Mondas. Artemisia will get a chance to start anew on another world. A world where being a Sorceress is not a death sentence."

Arashi stared in horror, and then, his eyes narrowed. "No…no! Why should she get a second chance, when I HAVEN'T EVEN HAD A FIRST CHANCE?! _RENZOKUKEN!_ " With that, he rushed forward, slashing his ancestor multiple times. Then, he roared, " _FATED CIRCLE!_ " He spun around in place, sending a shockwave of energy that slammed Rinoa into a wall, her body bleeding and broken.

Arashi walked forward, ready to administer the _coup de grace_ , and thus end this farce. "It's the end," he said coldly.

Suddenly, there was a strange, tearing sound in the sky above. He looked up, to see a tear in the very air, with a pure darkness lurking within.

"No…" Rinoa rasped, with a smile. "It's just beginning. And the moment…it has been prepared for." Her hands twitched, and then held out a hand, as if casting a spell. Arashi felt something hit him, but as he made to retaliate, he saw Rinoa had slumped, succumbing to her wounds.

After a moment, Arashi spat on her corpse, before dashing off to try and find Ultimecia. He needed to kill her before this castle entered that damned portal…

* * *

Inside the Entry Plug, Artemisia suddenly convulsed, purple energy briefly suffusing her. "Artemisia!" Shinji yelled.

"No, it's fine!" Artemisia said, looking shaken. "It…it was Rinoa. Her Sorceress power…it's now part of me. Leonhart must have killed her."

"No…" Shinji moaned.

Yui looked at the readouts on the screen projected on the inside of the Entry Plug. "Rinoa was dying anyway. She only had a few days left at the outside. This way, she went out saving us. And it's bought us enough time. We're re-entering Leliel!"

Soon, the sky and the black portal was replaced by the same blank white emptiness as before. "Okay," Yui said. "I'm going to have to put this body to sleep until we get out of Leliel. Shinji, Artemisia, prepare to synchronise!"

Yui suddenly closed her eyes, and just as suddenly, Shinji and Artemisia twitched as they synchronised with the Evangelion. Time to make their exit…

* * *

As bombers roared overhead, ready to embark on a desperate plan to salvage EVA Unit 01 from the Angel, a number of eyes watched on. Some were concerned for the pilot. Others were more concerned about retrieving the Evangelion.

Of the former, Misato Katsuragi, Rei Ayanami, and even Asuka Langley Sohryu were the most pensive. Asuka hid it under bluster and jealousy and anger, but even she was concerned for Shinji's safety, even if she didn't voice it.

So when the strange striped orb in the sky, the Angel's 'shadow' if Ritsuko's analysis was correct, suddenly rippled, warped, and the pattern on its surface faded, it was some cause for concern. And then, suddenly, the sphere burst, with pavement underneath the black shadow that was the true body of the Angel suddenly erupting into a grotesque fissure.

And emerging from the sphere was a massive castle, flying in the air. And kneeling within the castle's boundaries was none other than EVA Unit 01. Both the castle and the Evangelion were covered in the blood of the Angel, making for a grotesque, Gothic spectacle of Grand Guignol.

* * *

And in the control room of NERV, two older men watched the spectacle in sheer disbelief. Had anyone paid attention to anything but the viewscreen, they would have been privy to Gendo Ikari's jaw dropping, a rare event indeed. Not because of EVA Unit 01's appearance, but the fact that it came back with a floating castle that showed no signs of succumbing to gravity, despite the fact that it was supporting a giant robot.

"This…isn't in the Scenario," Fuyutsuki said, the grey-haired aquiline man looking bemused at the image.

"…No. No, it isn't," Gendo conceded with considerable understatement.

 **CHAPTER 6 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, now EVA Unit 01, Shinji, and Yui have come back home…with passengers.**

 **Now, if you're wondering why Arashi is so vindictive in this chapter, it's because he finally has an outlet for the rage and bitterness and hatred in his life. As far as he is concerned, Rinoa (and Squall) condemned him to the life he was made to leave. Part of this story is him getting a reason to live. Then again, isn't that what** ** _Evangelion_** **is about?**

 **Review-answering time!** **diagonalpumpkin** **: I think part of the reason is that Shinji is attracted to both Asuka and Rei in some regards, while Artemisia combines elements from both. It helps that he doesn't judge her, and she is never as angry towards him as Asuka is. He also feels a duty towards her in being her Knight. As for wanting to give Asuka and Rei a hug, he now has context for why they're both screwed up.**

 **1\. Given the castle rising into the air, I couldn't resist a reference to a similar scene in** ** _Borderlands 2_** **.**


	8. Chapter 7: Homecoming- There and Back

**CHAPTER 7:**

 **HOMECOMING/THERE AND BACK AGAIN**

Misato commandeered a helicopter to fly to the castle that had appeared, desperate to find out if Shinji was all right. Ritsuko came on board, but the two women had kept their distance from each other as much as possible. Arguing over the plan Ritsuko came up with led to Misato slapping her, and Ritsuko relieving Misato of her command for lacking objectivity. Then again, treating Shinji as expendable meant that objectivity could go fuck itself with a knobbly stick, _sideways_.

As they made their way to the gardens where EVA Unit 01 was crouched, managing to find a place to land, Ritsuko frowned. "It can't be," she murmured, as she saw a trio of figures waiting.

Misato looked where Ritsuko was staring. There was Shinji, looking a little shaken, but otherwise fine. There were two others, both dressed in plugsuits. One was a girl about Shinji's age, but with silver hair and golden eyes, and markings on her face like tattoos or birthmarks. The other was a woman, who looked very vaguely familiar to Misato. If she had blue hair instead of brown, and red eyes, she'd be a dead ringer for a grown-up Rei.

"This can't be possible," Ritsuko said, even as the mystery woman and Shinji waved at the helicopter.

"What're you talking about, Rits?" Misato demanded. "Shinji's alive. Okay, he's got some extra passengers, and there's a big-ass castle now floating above Tokyo-3, but…"

"Misato…that's Dr Yui Ikari down there."

Misato did a double-take on hearing that. She knew Yui Ikari was dead. And yet…if Ritsuko recognised her…

"I think Shinji has quite the tale to tell us," Misato said quietly, and with considerable understatement.

* * *

"Who are these people?" Artemisia asked. She watched as two people disembarked from the helicopter. One was a woman with dark purple hair, dressed in a black dress with a red jacket over it. She wore a cross on an otherwise unadorned necklace. The other was a blonde-haired woman wearing a labcoat.

"The woman with the red jacket is Misato, and the blonde is Dr Ritsuko Akagi," Shinji said.

Yui looked at Akagi, and then at the sky. "When we first emerged, I saw bombers in the sky. She was going to have me extracted from Leliel by dropping a lot of N2 mines, amongst other things. She's also got a bruise on her cheek. Good," she said with a scowl. "She's getting another."

Misato suddenly broke into a run. "SHINJI!" she yelled, before throwing her arms around the young Evangelion pilot. "Oh God, you're all right, you're all right. You are all right?"

"I'm okay, Misato. I'm okay. I've had a bit of an experience, that's all." Shinji smiled tiredly, even as Misato wept in relief. Artemisia could see why Shinji thought highly of Misato.

Ritsuko managed to catch up, only to be frozen by Yui's glare. "Hey, Ritsuko," Yui said with a rather angry tone. She then strode forward, and slapped the bottle-blonde, hard.

Ritsuko's head snapped to the side, but to her credit, she didn't stagger, let alone fall. Instead, she looked over at Yui. "What was that for?" she asked. The question wasn't spoken in a tone that suggested that she didn't deserve such a thing, but rather, that she wanted to know for which offence she had been assaulted for.

"I'm not sure. Either sleeping with my husband, which I suspected…and which I know for sure given your flinch, or else trying to drop what looked like the UN's entire arsenal of N2 mines in order to extract EVA Unit 01. Which would have hurt me quite a bit, though it would have hurt me a lot more if you murdered my son into the bargain. Hell may hath no fury like a woman scorned, but that's nothing compared to a pissed-off mother."

"Extracting the Evangelion took priority," Ritsuko said, with only some remorse. Then again, to see any at all was surprising.

"Wow, are you asking to get slapped again, Rits?" Misato asked.

"Never mind about that," Ritsuko said. "Why are you here, Yui? And for that matter, why has EVA Unit 01 come out with an additional passenger…and baggage?"

"Long story short, we ended up in another world," Yui said. "One where Nephilim exist as beings known as Sorceresses. Sadly, they're also persecuted. Artemisia here was the last of her kind on her world, as far as we knew. There're historical records inside this castle that might shed further light on the nature of the Angels, beyond the Secret Dead Sea Scrolls. Time ran different there, we were there for a few days, but here, it's only been…"

"Less than 24 hours," Misato said. She stood, and looked at Yui. "You're Dr Ikari? You're Shinji's mother?"

"And I am now part of EVA Unit 01, having deliberately absorbed myself in order to avoid assassination, but sadly turning my husband into a heartless bastard and leaving my son without protection for years." She then turned her face to the side, and tapped her cheek. "You can slap me if you want, Misato."

After a moment spent digesting this, Misato said, "Maybe later. Anyway, what were you talking about? Nephilim? Secret Dead Sea Scrolls?"

"Need to know, Misato, _and you don't need to know_ ," Ritsuko said.

"I beg to differ," Yui said. "Now that I can walk around again whenever EVA Unit 01 isn't needed, there's going to be some changes in NERV. I've come to think about what I originally intended with EVA Unit 01 and Instrumentality…and I've decided I've found it wanting, what Gendo and SEELE want even more so."

"A legally-dead woman can't just waltz into NERV and begin a regime change!" Ritsuko protested.

"And do you think you can stop me?" Yui asked. "Anyway, who said I was going to be in charge, officially? Depending on what I hear from my old teacher, I'm putting Fuyutsuki in charge. Now, I need you to do me a favour. When you take EVA Unit 01 back to the Cages, I'll be in the Entry Plug with Shinji and Artemisia. I want Gendo to shit himself when I emerge."

Misato cackled. "I'll take the pictures."

"…And I'll make sure the surveillance video is on," Ritsuko said, a little reluctantly, but the appeal of the idea getting through to her.

Yui nodded, before something occurred to her. "Oh, and there'll be a couple of bodies on one of the walkways in this castle. One of them may still be alive. We were only in vacuum for a brief period. If he is, he'll need medical treatment, and then should be put into confinement. He apparently finds the concept of Nephilim abhorrent, and may attempt to kill either Artemisia or Rei."

"You're not going to leave him to die?" Artemisia demanded.

"He's a long way from home. I think the shock when he realises just how far away he is will be punishment enough, and we'll keep him confined anyway," Yui said. "In any case, you have Rinoa's powers on top of your own. Shinji, Artemisia, we will go back to NERV under our own power."

"The battery power must be exhausted, you won't make it!" Ritsuko protested.

Yui smirked. "Oh, and did I mention that this world we ended up in had developed a sort of low-grade S2 Engine?"

* * *

There was quite the reception committee at the Cages. Unit 00 and Unit 02 were already present, and their pilots were currently waiting on the catwalks near Unit 01 as it was finally locked back into place, Rei with a look of concern (albeit a subtle one that could be mistaken for her usual impassiveness) and Asuka with a scowl that masked her own concern. The Entry Plug was extracted, and the hatch opened.

The familiar form of Shinji clambered out, looking at his two fellow pilots. After a moment, he said, "Sorry I made you guys worry."

"You're damn right, you made me worry, stupid Shinji!" Asuka yelled back. "Rushing in, Mr Top-Synch-Score! You nearly got yourself killed, idiot!"

"Would you mind turning down the volume controls?" a thickly-accented voice said. Its owner soon emerged, dressed in a black plugsuit. It was a girl about their age, but with silver hair, golden eyes, and strange, tattoo-like markings on her face. "Some of us have sensitive ears."

"Excuse me?" Asuka blinked, her self-righteous indignation overcoming any questions about how this girl came to be in the Entry Plug. "Who the hell do you think you are?!"

" _Silence_ ," the girl intoned. It wasn't a command, though. In fact, Asuka seemed to be hit by what seemed like a ribbon of light. And when she tried to speak, she couldn't.

Rei, despite her wariness of the girl, actually found herself liking her already. There were many times when she wished she could mute the voice of the 'great' Asuka Langley Sohryu. Even so, there was something strangely familiar about this girl. And dangerously so. "May I ask who you are, and why you are with Shinji?"

"Ah, you must be Rei," the girl said with a smile. "Shinji's told me quite a bit about you. Of course, Loudmouth there needs no introduction. Asuka Langley Sohryu. Now, if you promise to be civil, I will remove the Silence spell. Okay?"

Asuka looked like she wanted to beat the shit out of the newcomer, but eventually nodded, sullenly. " _Esuna_ ," the new girl intoned.

After a moment, Asuka muttered, "Testing, _ein, zwei, drei_ …okay, what was that?" Her tone was no less indignant, but certainly less loud.

"Magic. I am the Sorceress Artemisia. Shinji is my Knight. And I have very sensitive ears."

"There's no such thing as magic," Asuka declared. After a moment, she added in a more contemplative tone, "Then again, there's Clarke's Law. Any sufficiently-advanced technology, or ability for that matter, is indistinguishable from magic. And I did just get my voice muted like it was a _verdammt_ television." She pointed a finger at Shinji. "You're not off the hook, Shinji! You and I are going to have a nice little conversation, and so's your new girlfriend!"

"We're not actually dating, Asuka," Shinji said, though Rei noticed an unspoken _Yet_ in his tone, and in Artemisia's eyes. The blue-haired girl felt a strange pang of jealousy at that.

And there was more. Rei saw a difference in the way he looked at her, a difference that she wasn't sure what to make of. It was different, and felt both paradoxically distant and yet closer than he had ever felt towards her.

"Anyway, we're going to have that conversation later, Asuka. Because here comes trouble," Shinji said, looking pointedly past Asuka. Walking along the catwalks towards them was an unusual sight. Commander Gendo Ikari was striding along, followed by Fuyutsuki, Dr Akagi, and Major Katsuragi.

"…still do not see why I should come down here myself, Dr Akagi," Gendo said. "The Evangelion is intact, the pilot is still capable of piloting it." Rei felt a brief flash of anger at that remark. "He has arrived with another passenger and a floating structure, true, but I intended to leave that in your capable hands. So why should I be here?"

"Because I asked her to, Gendo."

The voice came from the Entry Plug, a voice Rei felt sounded familiar. It sounded…like her own, but older and filled with life. And when Gendo heard that voice, he all but skidded to a halt. Then, after a moment, he wheeled on Ritsuko, and snarled, "If this is a joke, then it is in the worst possible taste, Dr Akagi."

"Oh, it is, Gendo," said a woman, with brown hair, and dressed in a plugsuit, who was emerging from the Entry Plug. And Rei knew who it was. But it was impossible. It couldn't be _her_. "But I'm certainly not laughing."

Gendo gaped. "…Impossible. It can't be… _Yui?_ " After a moment, he staggered forward, looking her up and down, actually pushing Shinji and Artemisia to one side. Artemisia seemed set to attack him, only for Shinji to shake his head at her.

Gendo suddenly lunged and embraced her. "Yui!" he laughed, a bitter joy in his voice. "You're back!"

Suddenly, Yui shoved her husband away, causing him to stagger back into a railing. " _Get away from me_ ," she snarled.

"But Yui…"

"Did you think I wouldn't know what you did to my son? _Our_ son?" she said, glaring at him. She stormed forward, jabbing a finger at him. "I left you instructions, instructions I know you had read, but ignored completely and utterly, in favour of trying to tear me out of the Evangelion against my wishes!"

After a moment, an indignant look came over his face. "You _left_ me!" he snarled back. "You left me, knowing full well you're the only person I love, and became part of the Evangelion! No, you're not the real Yui. You _can't_ be! The real Yui wouldn't treat me like this! She loves me!"

"I _loved_ you, Gendo. I saw the man, the genuinely decent man beneath your mask. But…he's dead. I killed him, unintentionally, but I did. I'm here to clean up the mess both of us left."

Gendo opened his mouth, whether to utter some denial or to order her arrest. However, Artemisia, growing bored with the whole byplay, intoned, " _Stop._ " A strange pattern of lights, like the image of a clock suddenly slowing and then stopping, appeared over Gendo briefly, and he was frozen.

"Thank you, Artemisia," Yui said. "Now, has anyone got any serious, well thought-out objections to my taking over from my husband, unofficially?" Her eyes roved over to a familiar face. "Professor?"

"No," Fuyutsuki said, shaking his head ardently. "Though…I'm guessing you want me to take over officially, so that the Committee will be in the dark about your coming back."

"Yeah, though it'll probably leak out anyway. Now, one last thing." Yui looked over to the other two pilots, who were watching on in bemusement as Gendo's petrified body was taken away by a pair of security guards. "Hello, Rei. You know who I am?"

"Yes. You are Doctor Yui Ikari. And…" Rei hesitated.

"I know you're a clone of my mother, Rei," Shinji said gently. After a moment, he said, with a smile, "I've always wanted a sister."

Rei, despite herself, gave a small smile to match his own. A sister to Shinji…yes, that would be pleasant, she thought.

"And you're Kyoko's daughter," Yui asked Asuka.

"Uh, yes, but…how come you're alive? I thought you were dead."

Yui chewed on her lip pensively. "It's a long story, but…Artemisia, are you feeling up to using that spell Rinoa taught you?" On Artemisia nodding, Yui then turned back to Asuka. "How about you show me your Evangelion? And then, Artemisia will show you something I think will leave you speechless."

"Puh-lease. What can leave the Great Asuka Langley Sohryu speechless?"

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, Asuka was gaping at the form on the catwalk in front of her Evangelion. The form which stirred and got, shakily, to its feet. Indeed, she was left speechless, up until the woman in the plugsuit looked around, her eyes falling on Asuka, and she whispered, almost disbelievingly, "Asuka?"

"Mama?" Asuka asked in a quiet, similar tone, as if thinking reality had played a cruel joke, not wanting to believe it was true.

Kyoko Zeppelin Sohryu staggered over, reaching out her hands towards the red-haired girl, before drawing her into a hug, Asuka beginning to openly sob for the first time in a very long time. Before the eyes of everyone else, a catharsis of sorts was taking place. As Asuka babbled in German and Kyoko murmured soothing words in the same language, they knew now that a healing process was now beginning…

 **CHAPTER 7 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Yui Ikari's going to clean house, Gendo's been imprisoned, and Asuka reunites with her mother. Now, before you ask, Gendo's still going to have a role to play, as a more overt antagonist. I think he's the sort of person that, when chewed out by his wife for what happened, he's either going to buckle under meekly, or else react badly, and blame her for what happened, even deny his wife being his real wife.**

 **I have to confess, aside from Gendo, Asuka is my least favourite main character in the series. She's frankly an egotistical brat with a huge chip on her shoulder, and would take a lot of redeeming. But I also wanted to actually give her the chance to, in this story, as I did in** ** _Harry Potter and the Blue-Haired Angel_** **. Getting her mother back actually begins the healing process. She'll still be a** ** _tsundere_** **brat with an ego, but she'll also begin to tone down. She has her mother to impress, after all, and her mother will also be able to put the brakes on Asuka's more obnoxious behaviour. I actually prefer the version of Asuka seen in the manga, as that's a more believable, somewhat more nuanced Asuka who would actually have a chance with Shinji. Hell, I prefer the manga version of the series, period, but because the manga doesn't have Leliel, this crossover is based on the TV series. Mostly.**

 **BTW, Arashi is still alive, but in a bad way. We'll learn his fate in the next chapter. Yes, I know a lot of you hate him, judging by the reviews I got, but he'll get better, and a lot sooner than Sasuke did. Learning he's on another world will basically break him down…and have him ready to be reconstructed as a better character.**

 **No numbered annotations this time.**


	9. Chapter 8: Expositional Onslaught- The

**CHAPTER 8:**

 **EXPOSITIONAL ONSLAUGHT/THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE**

The three Evangelion pilots, along with the two proxies of the human souls inside two of the Evangelions, Artemisia, and Misato, Ritsuko, and Fuyutsuki, were all gathered in a conference room. Yui then looked at Kyoko. "Kyoko, I've been meaning to ask, what the hell possessed you to mimic my Contact Experiment?"

Kyoko, her strawberry blonde hair framing features very like Asuka's own, scoffed. "What makes you think I was _mimicking_ it? I wanted to make the process safer. Instead of having a human soul become part of the control interface, I wanted to copy the soul instead, and use the copy, based on GEHIRN's initial proposal for Dummy Plug techniques. That way, Asuka still has a mother, and she's also able to pilot the Evangelion. Sadly, it didn't work out."

"Mama…what did it do to you?" Asuka asked quietly.

"In crude terms, it sucked part of my soul out, including most of my maternal self," Kyoko said quietly. "Later on, they put the rest of my soul into Unit 02. And…I saw what the rest of me had done. Even now, my soul is still damaged, crudely stitched back together. What tried to throttle you was merely the twisted remnants of my soul. Asuka, I'm sorry, I truly am."

"I forgive you, Mama. I mean…I had you with me all this time, protecting me as Unit 02," Asuka said quietly. "I just didn't realise it." She blinked, before she said, "Wait, if Shinji's mother was in Unit 01, and you were in Unit 02, who's in Unit 00? I mean, if Wondergirl is a clone of Dr Ikari, who does she have?"

"I'm not wholly sure. Do you know, Professor?" Yui asked.

"It's part of Rei's own soul. A long story short, when Naoko Akagi murdered the original Rei, Gendo had the soul divided into two, with part of it funnelled into Unit 00." Fuyutsuki sighed. "Now, you said you wanted to get everyone on the same page, right?"

"Right," Yui said. "I can understand keeping secrets on a need-to-know basis, but the pilots are the ones risking their lives fighting the Angels. In addition, Misato has a personal stake in this. I know you have a vendetta against the Angels, but Misato, it was the hand of man who triggered Second Impact."

"What," Misato said in a flat, dangerous tone.

"Professor Fuyutsuki and I will explain," Yui said. "I've told Shinji and Artemisia. I'll also explain where we've been when Unit 01 got swallowed by Leliel…"

* * *

Sometime later, Asuka and Misato were glaring at the floor, plotting slow painful deaths for SEELE and Gendo Ikari. Not to mention SeeD, for persecuting Artemisia. After a moment, Ritsuko asked Artemisia, "One thing puzzles me: how can you speak Japanese? Or English?"

"English is identical to the language I spoke back on Mondas. As for Japanese," Artemisia said, "after Rinoa perished, I gained a new ability, to look into minds and memories. I only used it to copy the language skills from Shinji. It's rather sad. Now that she's dead…I can't truly hate her anymore. In fact, I think I mourn her. I wish I had gotten to know her better."

"Any other questions, anything that can't wait?" Yui asked. After a moment of silence, she said, "Good. Now, after Leliel, we have five Angels left, according to the Secret Dead Sea Scrolls."

"I know, Gendo and I had information from SEELE," Fuyutsuki said.

"Yes, but unlike you, I had access to the original translations. Being the daughter of a member of SEELE had its advantages," Yui said. "They give some small detail about what is to come. Rather vague details, wrapped up in a lot of poetic language, but better than nothing. _Bardiel_ , Humiliated Son of God, Angel of Haze, taking the form of a cloud that turns ally into enemy. _Zeruel_ , Arm of God, the Angel of Strength, and an Angel who will be our toughest yet in terms of sheer physical force. _Arael_ , the Light of God, the Angel of Birds, who is said to tear the minds of its opponents asunder. _Armisael_ , the Mountain Judgement of God, the Angel of the Womb, an infiltrator of the body. And finally, _Tabris_ , the Angel of Free Will, said to come amongst us in human form. Sadly, that's all I know."

"It's better than nothing," Fuyutsuki mused. "Even so, just one Angel making it to Terminal Dogma will cause Third Impact, even if it's Lilith down there. The Seeds of Life, from what I understand, can act as a gigantic reset button for life and evolution through Impact events. If the Angels get to Lilith, it's the same as what'll happen if Adam was down there."

"Kaji told me it was Adam," Misato said.

"He was acting on bad information," Fuyutsuki said. "It's definitely Lilith down there. I think he's more than a spy for the Japanese government. I think he could also be one of SEELE's agents."

"More than that," Ritsuko said. "I think he's being nosy for his own reasons."

"This coming from the woman who interrupted our marathon in the bedroom," Misato said with a roll of her eyes. "Do you think Kaji can be brought into our confidence here?"

"Maybe," Yui mused. "I'll see whether he's trustworthy."

"Of course he's trustworthy!" Asuka snapped. "He's Mr Kaji!"

"Oh dear Lord, my daughter has a crush on a much older man," Kyoko said facepalming. "I mean, I knew because I saw some of your memories when you synched…you're lucky he doesn't reciprocate, or else I'd be performing an impromptu castration."

"But Mama…!" Asuka protested.

"Asuka, _no_ ," Kyoko said firmly. "There are plenty of sophisticated and handsome boys your age in the world. And for God's sake, being a _tsundere_ is not the way to win a man's heart!"

"What's a _tsundere?_ " Artemisia asked. "I don't think I got that with the Japanese language terms I took from Shinji."

"It means, roughly, 'hot and cold'," Yui explained. "A woman who acts harshly, but really has a softer side she will only reveal to a chosen few. It can apply to men."

"Leaving that aside," Ritsuko said, "there's something else to consider. At least two more Evangelion Units are nearing completion in the USA. One's scheduled to undergo testing with the S2 Engine we salvaged from Shamshel, the Fourth Angel. That's the second one you killed, Shinji. That means that, at the very least, we'll be receiving a message from the Marduk Institute for the Fourth Child. Of course, as you know, Yui, and you too, Sub-Commander, that the Marduk Institute is a sham."

Misato frowned. "Kaji alluded to that, but he didn't elaborate. Why and how is it a sham?"

"The pilots are picked by NERV personnel, namely myself and Gendo Ikari, in consultation with Keel Lorenz of SEELE. The class Shinji, Asuka, and Rei go to is filled with potential candidates."

" _Was für Quatsch ist das?!_ " Asuka yelped. "I mean, what sort of bullshit is that?! How can that Kansai jock Suzuhara and that perverted otaku Aida be potential Evangelion pilots?!"

"There's a number of criteria, actually," Ritsuko said. "The first is that they needed to be born after Second Impact, or else genetically engineered like Rei. Second Impact released a kind of Angelic biological contaminant that makes mental interface between an Evangelion and a pilot much easier, as long as the contamination occurred during their time in the womb. Otherwise, we'd be using adults to pilot the Evangelions. The second is that they need to be somehow related to NERV or GEHIRN, usually through a guardian or parent working or having worked here. Finally, they need to have an absent parent, usually a mother, whom we have a soul in storage. And before you ask, this was a decision undertaken by SEELE and Gendo."

"This is sick," Misato said, with a grimace. She looked over at Rei. "I find it even worse, though, that the Commander created a half-Angel clone of his wife to ogle at, and to use as a key to Third Impact. Or that there's a tank filled with her clones, all part of the Dummy Plug system."

"If I die, I can be replaced," Rei said quietly. "But…I did not enjoy dying the first time. I do not remember the event itself, what Dr Naoko Akagi did to me…but I remember waking up from oblivion in a new body. It was a singularly unpleasant experience."

"That's pretty fucked up," Asuka said. "Don't get me wrong, I'd love to be immortal, but the dying and not having your memories come with you part sucks. God, I can't believe I actually feel sorry for you, Wondergirl!"

"Neither can I," Rei said, only the slightest of wry smiles betraying the fact that she had made a joke, of sorts.

"We'll try to ensure you don't die anyway, Rei," Misato said. "Part-Angel or not, you've been a vital part of NERV."

Ritsuko nodded. She then looked over to Artemisia. "Artemisia, I'd like to run a series of tests, if I may. Some will be general physiological and genetic testing. A few will be of your…magic, though I loathe to use such an unscientific term. Finally, I want to run tests on how compatible you are with Evangelion Units 01 and 00."

"Umm, when I was in EVA Unit 00, it didn't work out so well," Shinji said, remembering the incident where that Evangelion went berserk.

After a moment, Ritsuko said, "Okay, scratch EVA Unit 00. In any case, we can have you onboard as an unofficial pilot."

"Thank you, but I may not need to, anyway," Artemisia said. "I have my guardians in my castle, and the GFs. They would certainly be a boon to NERV."

"GFs?" Ritsuko asked.

"Guardian Forces. Think of them as powerful magical entities who can be summoned to do battle for a limited period," Artemisia said. "Normal people can 'junction' them to themselves, but at the cost of eroding their memories. However, as a Sorceress, I can use them without junctioning. I can even grant the ability to use them to others. Rinoa even said I can _create_ a GF using a powerful image from the mind of another. That being said, I don't know how useful they would be against an Angel."

"If they can't negate an AT Field, they'd have to get close after the Evangelions negate them," Ritsuko mused. "That may be something I want to test, how powerful these GFs are."

"I can also grant the use of a form of magic known as 'Para-Magic'," Artemisia said. "Most of it's not any good outside of combat, save for the curative magics. And I doubt it will be of any use inside an Evangelion."

"Any little thing will help," Fuyutsuki said. "This is a matter of survival."

Ritsuko's phone bleeped, and she activated it. "Dr Akagi," she said. After a few minutes, she said, "Got it. Continue the treatment. You made the right call. Dr Akagi out." She hung up, and turned to the others. "I've just been informed that they've brought back the two bodies we found in the castle. The woman's definitely dead: if her injuries from a sword didn't kill her, exposure to vacuum would have finished her off. But the teenaged boy…I've got him in an intensive care facility. He's in a tank of LCL. It'll help repair the damage to his lungs. He's suffering from the effects of barotrauma, so it'll be touch and go, but there's little brain damage."

"Pity," Artemisia remarked coldly. "Even Rinoa deserved to live far more than he did." Then, a cruel smirk tinged her features. "Then again, he's currently stranded, alone, in a world that knows nothing of Sorceresses and SeeD. Perhaps this is a just punishment."

"Artemisia, it is said that to err is human, but to forgive is divine," Yui said.

"Well, good thing I'm not a goddess then," Artemisia retorted with the smirk remaining on her face.

* * *

Deep within NERV HQ, in a tube of LCL, a teenaged boy floated, naked. Bruises from battle and from barotrauma dotted his skin. His long hair, freed from its ponytail, gently drifted around his handsome features like seaweed.

One would think his apparent serenity meant that he was untroubled. In truth, the serenity was due to the drugs used to keep him unconscious while his injuries healed. If one was to peek into his mind, one would see nightmares assaulting him, eroding his very soul, tormenting him.

Some part of him thought he was dead, and that his torment was punishment for failing his mission. In truth, his situation was both punishment and liberation. Time would tell if he chose to accept it…

 **CHAPTER 8 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **The higher elements of NERV making plans, and Arashi's still alive. Hope you like it. I'm especially proud of how I had Kyoko trying to steer Asuka away from her infatuation with Kaji. Now, it's no coincidence that I mention Arashi having a ponytail. I actually thought of him as looking somewhere between Squall and a teenaged Kaji. I also thought about filling in some details about why Kyoko tried to undergo a Contact Experiment when it went so badly with Yui (as far as Kyoko knew, anyway).**

 **Review-answering time! DivineDemon1: I am. I mean, how else would Gendo react to his wife coming back? He'd either jump when she barks, or else go into complete denial. I've chosen the latter.**

 **Reishin Amara : A missed opportunity, but funny to think of.**

 **diagonalpumpkin : I have to confess, I detest Asuka. Misato should have really laid down the law more with her. I mean, Misato was her guardian after all. But at the same time, I see the potential to become a better person there, and I opted to do that in both of my _Evangelion_ fics to date. Finally, Arashi's change will be not unlike that. He might still try to kill Artemisia at first, but when he realises he can't go home, well, he'll reach his nadir…and then, he can start rebuilding himself.**

 **No numbered annotations this time.**


	10. Chapter 9: Another Transfer- Of Life

**CHAPTER 9:**

 **ANOTHER TRANSFER/OF LIFE, DEATH, AND EDUCATION**

"I don't like this apparel," Artemisia said, looking down at the uniform for the local school with a small scowl on her face. The blue and white dress she was now wearing didn't meet with her approval. Artemisia had spent the night at Misato's apartment, with Misato offering the use of her bed for the night. Misato slept on the couch. But from now on, Artemisia intended to stay in her castle. She'd have to start testing those teleportation spells she had found in the castle while Rinoa and Yui had been readying it for takeoff.

"Sorry, Artemisia," Misato said apologetically, "but sending you to school in other clothes is going to raise comment. You already look strange enough with your…appearance."

"Rei clearly is able to attend without much comment," Artemisia said. "I am doing this purely on sufferance."

"Artemisia, look at it this way. You're on a world where the Sorceresses don't exist, save for you," Misato pointed out. "We've already given a cover story to the teachers and headmaster of the school. You basically have a similar condition to Rei, only more advanced. Considering what Dr Ikari said, it's not that far from the truth anyway." Misato then smiled. "Besides, you didn't exactly have a normal childhood. Maybe this will be your chance. Shinji and Asuka have some friends already. In fact, Shinji's friends will be over before long to pick him up."

"Did you have a normal childhood?" Artemisia asked.

After a moment, Misato sighed. "Not after Second Impact."

Shinji, who had been in the kitchen preparing lunches, came out with them at the ready. Asuka, meanwhile, was scowling at a piece of paper she had. " _Verdammt_ kanji," she scowled. "Bane of my bloody existence."

"Your Japanese is excellent," Artemisia observed. "Why do you have trouble with the kanji?"

"Because, Elphaba," Asuka retorted, "I grew up _speaking_ German, English, and Japanese, but _writing_ Japanese was another matter entirely."

"Elphaba?"

"There was this movie about…seventy-five years ago now, called _The Wizard of Oz_ , based on a kid's book," Asuka said. "About twenty years ago, some guy called Gregory Maguire wrote a book from the point of view of the villain, the Wicked Witch of the West, called Elphaba in this book, called _Wicked_. In that book, Elphaba wasn't evil, just misunderstood and highly misanthropic(1)."

"Asuka," Misato said, "Artemisia isn't green-skinned. I never read the book, but I saw the old movie."

"And I would suggest being careful about nicknames, Asuka," Artemisia said.

"Or what, you'll set me on fire or something?" Asuka asked.

"No, I'll just tell your mother," Artemisia said with a smirk. That shut the redhead up quickly. Since her 'revival' so to speak, Kyoko had had a more salutary effect on Asuka, and both Misato and Artemisia found that telling Asuka that they would tell her mother about her less than decent behaviour would keep her in line.

There was a knock on the door soon afterwards. "I'll get that!" Misato said cheerfully. She opened the door. "Toji, Kensuke, what a pleasure!"

"Good morning, Major Katsuragi!" chorused a pair of boys, who entered. They did a double-take on seeing Artemisia.

"Ah, yes, I forgot. We've had someone arrive rather unexpectedly," Misato said. "Her name is Artemisia von Hyne." This was the agreed surname Artemisia wished for. Her family had no last name. It might be that she might have been related to one of the SeeDs who had killed Ultimecia. Misato indicated the jock kid in the tracksuit. "Artemisia, this is Toji Suzuhara." She indicated the boy with the glasses and freckles. "And this is Kensuke Aida."

"A pleasure," Artemisia said, perhaps a little insincerely, but better to be polite.

"Damn, Shinji, have you got another hottie living with you?" Toji asked.

"It was for the one night, as I've only just arrived in Tokyo-3," Artemisia answered for him.

"Is this anything to do with that flying castle flying above Tokyo-3?" Kensuke asked.

"It's an experimental technology developed by NERV's German branch," Misato said. Which was the official cover story. "Artemisia came from that branch. Of course, it's not something we want advertised."

"Oh, wow! An experimental technology? Please, Artemisia, I want to see it! Please!" Kensuke pleaded.

"He's a military otaku, remember?" Shinji said.

"I'll consider it," Artemisia said. "But we had best better go to school, hmm?"

* * *

Artemisia was regretting coming. The homeroom teacher was a boring antediluvian old fart who took any opportunity to discuss the official history of Second Impact and its aftermath. The other classes were more tolerable. As she donned a swimsuit for PE, acutely aware of the staring of the other girls as they saw the markings on her skin (she also heard one of them commenting on her breasts), Artemisia was struck by a sense of nostalgia. The last time she had worn a swimsuit of any kind…was when she turned ten. Not long before her parents were killed by SeeD. They had taken her to a beach. A nice break from their fugitive lifestyle. Artemisia realised that it was the last time she had felt so happy in the company of her parents.

The thought brought a tear to her golden eyes. Rei came over. "Artemisia?" she asked. "Why are you crying?"

"Just…just remembering my parents, Rei," Artemisia said quietly.

"Hey, Artemisia, are you okay?" asked one of the girls. Artemisia remembered the girl with her brown hair in pigtails: Hikari Horaki, the class representative.

"Sorry, just bad memories," Artemisia said. The girl at least seemed genuinely nice. She was a little wary of Artemisia's looks, but unlike some of the girls, at least, she tried to reach out.

* * *

Meanwhile, the boys were on the side of the track. "So, Shinji, how did you meet Artemisia?" Toji asked.

"It's a long story, and a lot of it's classified," Shinji said. "I don't think you'd believe me anyway, even if I could tell you: it's weirder than a lot of the shit we have to deal with involving the Angels."

"She's weird-looking, but I guess she's a looker. And she doesn't act that much like the Redhaired Devil," Kensuke said. Suddenly, in the pool enclosure, Asuka sneezed loudly twice, and whirled to glare down at the boys.

"She can sense your insults from halfway across the world, Kensuke," Toji hissed to his friend. "Her ears are like bloody radar dishes."

"She might calm down after a little while," Shinji said. "She's had something good happen to her."

"She got a boyfriend?"

"Better," Shinji said coyly. What could he tell them? About her mother coming back from the grave after being the control system for a giant robot? Leaving aside the fact that it sounded unbelievable, it was probably in contravention of some NERV regulation or other.

* * *

After a very extensive medical exam, both Yui and Kyoko were dressing, with Ritsuko pinching the bridge of her nose in exasperation. "You know, the only word I can come up with to describe your bodies is…"

"Impossible?" Yui asked with a wry eyebrow raised.

"That was my initial thought, but actually, the word I was looking for is 'bioroid'. A sort of biological android, not unlike the Evangelions. It's like someone took basic human physiology, enhanced it, made it much better from the ground up, and made it run off what is basically an S2 battery," Ritsuko said. "I'm also annoyed that it was created, effectively, by magic. The only reason I'm believing this is real is because I know Artemisia is a Nephilim, and the Angels are noted for sneering at the laws of physics. And in any case, I should be able to monitor Artemisia's magic, see what the mechanism is. Other than her will saying 'fuck you' to the laws of physics, and the universe obliging."

"You'll have to treat her with care, Ritsuko," Yui said. "Artemisia has had a very hard life. Though to be honest, I'm more worried about what SEELE will think of her and the castle. That cover story we put out about it being from the German branch of NERV is a pretty transparent lie. Keel will have no problem seeing through it."

"The Sub-Commander said he would handle this. As far as SEELE is concerned, Gendo had a massive breakdown, and is currently incarcerated for threatening the lives of NERV personnel, and the castle is cross-dimensional detritus from within Leliel. The old men are only concerned that NERV ensure that the Human Instrumentality Project stays on schedule, as you well know," Ritsuko said. "But we can't keep a lid on you two forever. Or on Artemisia."

"They can't really do much to either of us," Kyoko said. "These are remote bodies, not our real ones."

"Kyoko, SEELE will use our children as leverage. I know how these fuckers work. My father used to be part of them," Yui said. "The thing is, SEELE still needs us for some time to fight the Angels. Of course, once that use is ended…well, there are a number of ways they can engage Third Impact in a way that can bring about the Instrumentality they hunger for. Lilith and the Lance of Longinus are key to these scenarios, for the most part. They don't care who they have to trample over in the process, and if they think threatening Asuka will get you to roll over, then they'll do it."

"SEELE aside, the information you gave us about the coming Angels is concerning," Ritsuko said. "I knew that there were five Angels left, but beyond the names, I knew little. And even with what you have given us, we're still fumbling in the dark."

"Did you do much fumbling in the dark with my husband, Ritsuko?" Yui asked archly, giggling at the mortified expression on Ritsuko's face. "Leaving the Angels and SEELE aside, what about our guest?"

"You mean the boy we found? The last I checked, the damage to his body and especially his lungs caused by the brief vacuum exposure is mostly healed. LCL and a few special drugs do wonders. We're about ready to decant him, take him to a secure ward."

"Okay, but keep in mind, he's a well-trained operative of a mercenary organisation, so it won't do to underestimate him because of his age," Yui said. "I wouldn't be surprised if escapology training was on the curriculum at Garden, given what I managed to get out of Rinoa and Artemisia."

* * *

Yui got her first good look at Arashi Leonhart as he hacked out the LCL in his lungs, his eyes flickering open in pain. The long brown hair, the icy blue eyes, the handsome face. She realised there was a pain in that face, a pain that had been there for a long time. After he had finished, the two security guards swiftly brought him onto a gurney, and strapped him down. It took him a while before the drugs leached out of his system enough for him to become remotely aware of his situation. At first, it was confusion rather than anger. "Where am I?" he asked in English. "Is this Esthar?"

"No, Tokyo-3," Ritsuko said.

"I've never heard of a place called Tokyo-3," Arashi retorted, before devolving into more coughing.

"That's because it doesn't exist on your world, Arashi Leonhart," Yui said.

Arashi looked over at her. "What do you mean, another world?" Then, after a moment, recollection hit, and his face twisted into a vicious snarl. "No…that bitch Rinoa…she said Ultimecia was going to another world! Damn her! DAMN HER!"

Yui slapped him, hard, her anger at him reaching boiling point, overriding what sympathy she had felt for him. "Shut up! Artemisia made a choice, between staying in your world and having to deal with SeeD, and coming here, where she has less chance of being viewed as a monster! Quite frankly, after what I saw of your world's history, and what Rinoa told me, I can't blame Artemisia for deciding to come here! Rinoa was worth a hundred of you. That you're still alive when she is dead…but then again, that may be the best punishment for you. You can't go home. We destroyed the only means for you to get home."

"You're lying!" Arashi yelled.

"No, you'll wish I was," Yui said coldly. "Artemisia will have a fresh start. A life where she doesn't have to be seen as a monster."

"SHE IS A MONSTER!" Arashi yelled.

"The only monster I see is the one strapped to the bed," Yui retorted quietly.

"Take him to the secure ward," Ritsuko said to the guards. Yui watched as he was wheeled away on the gurney, and felt a slight pang of remorse as she heard Arashi beginning to weep. He'd been torn away from everything he knew. God only knew whether he could make the most of a fresh start, or go mad…

 **CHAPTER 9 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Sorry about the wait. Here's the latest chapter. Hope you enjoyed it. Arashi's redemption will be coming soon. I originally intended for him to escape while being decanted from the LCL tank, but I couldn't think of a way to do it without making NERV look utterly incompetent.**

 **In case you're wondering why Yui is so angry, she feels maternal in some ways towards Ultimecia, and also found herself liking Rinoa, despite their short time together. She understands what he's going through, but his badmouthing of Rinoa and Ultimecia basically pissed her off.**

 **Review-answering time!** **Reishin Amara** **: Now there's an idea, that whole thing about quoting Sarah Kerrigan…**

 **diagonalpumpkin** **: I think Misato being hands-off is only part of the problem. Shinji doesn't like sharing his problems with other people, and Asuka would rather pretend she doesn't have any.**

 **NexusRider161** **: It is stated explicitly in the TV series that Yui had a closer connection to SEELE than Gendo, and Fuyutsuki thinks that's the only reason Gendo married Yui. Her being the daughter of a SEELE member was revealed in information discussed in information shown in one of the officially-licenced video games, with Hideaki Anno apparently being interviewed for these files.**

 **1\. Although the musical didn't come around until 2003 (and thus may not have been around, due to Second Impact), the book** ** _Wicked_** **has been around since 1995, and so probably exists in the world of** ** _Neon Genesis Evangelion_** **. It's a much darker work than the musical. It may be a bit of a stretch for Asuka to have read it, but not much of one. And calling Ultimecia 'Elphaba', as a supposedly wicked witch who is merely misunderstood and misanthropic rather than evil, seems appropriate.**


	11. Chapter 10: Passing the Buck- The Fourth

**CHAPTER 10:**

 **PASSING THE BUCK/THE FOURTH CHILD**

Fuyutsuki looked at the screen in front of him. It was too bloody early in the morning to deal with this. He'd already had to deal with SEELE (still masquerading as the Human Instrumentality Committee) about Artemisia's castle appearing over Tokyo-3. Cross-dimensional detritus within Leliel, with two living people found inside, including Artemisia and Arashi Leonhart. He had to say that something caused Gendo Ikari to have a nervous breakdown, and to tell the truth, he thought Keel looked relieved. Keel only barely trusted Gendo Ikari, and despite Fuyutsuki's attempt to expose what SEELE did to cause Second Impact, they thought Fuyutsuki better controllable. Or at least more willing to adhere to their little scenario.

However, now this had to go and happen, at NERV-USA's Second Branch. Deep in the Nevada Desert, they had been fitting Unit 04 with an S2 Engine derived from the one salvaged from Shamshel, and had been running tests on it. However, at about the time they were scheduled to give the S2 engine a trial run…the whole base, along with everything in an 89 kilometre radius…well, it just went away. Literally vanishing, leaving naught but a hollow crater eaten out of the ground.

Yui, Kyoko, and Ritsuko were peering at a replay of the satellite imagery of the destruction. So too was Misato, but the three scientists, along with the 'bridge bunnies', were actually analysing the data. Fuyutsuki was trying to, but he was finding himself imagining what had happened to those poor bastards who happened to be in the area. The testing area was far away from major cities, so the loss of civilian life, while unacceptable, still was minimal, but even so… "What happened?" Misato asked, once the clamour had died down.

"Short answer, we don't know for certain," Ritsuko said, running a hand through her hair. "All that we have is speculation. But…given the data we drew upon so far, I think during this incident, the S2 Engine temporarily opened a portal into a Dirac Sea."

"Like Leliel," Fuyutsuki mused. "Can we get them back?"

"It depends on so many factors, Professor," Kyoko said. "Look at the energy discharge. If they're lucky, the whole base, along with EVA Unit 04, got disintegrated before they entered it. A Dirac Sea is a very inhospitable place. EVA Unit 01 and the castle were lucky to survive the journey. And given how EVA Unit 01 ended up on another world, who's to say that the base and EVA Unit 04 didn't end up there too? The fact is, we don't know, and the chance of recovery of anything is infinitesimally small. We have better odds fighting the Angels, frankly."

Maya looked at the screen, and murmured, "That's horrible. You said that the EVA Units here are now fitted with a sort of S2 Engine-like device. What's to stop this from happening here?"

"The devices we found were already developed, and have safety cutouts," Yui said. "In any case, I had no idea something like this would happen. Professor, with EVA Unit 04 gone, what's the status of Unit 03?"

"The Yanks are getting skittish," Fuyutsuki said. "They've decided to stop dilly-dallying with shipping Unit 03 over here."

"Which means that the Fourth Child will have to be selected," Yui mused.

Ritsuko nodded. "We've continued work on the Dummy Plug system, with the modifications that you suggested. Your husband seemed not to care about the potential problems with it, though. But using the Dummy Plug at this stage is still not a good idea, especially not on a new Evangelion."

"Do you think it's ready to put into the other Evangelions?" Yui asked.

"Yes, Dr Ikari. The refinements seem to work. But we may need to run some tests. Incidentally, Rei is currently doing her latest backup session."

"I'll go and see her, then," Yui said with a smile. "Kyoko, Professor, I'll leave you to choose the Fourth Child. Misato, Ritsuko, with me."

* * *

As they walked down the corridors of Terminal Dogma, Misato muttered, "I'm never getting used to this. You, Dr Ikari, walking around with your own body, Rei being a half-Angel clone of you…actually, I need to ask, what exactly is the Dummy Plug?"

Ritsuko glanced back at Misato. "Didn't you read the briefing document?"

"Yeah, it's meant to be an experimental autopilot, albeit for emergencies, like if the pilot is incapacitated or rebelling," Misato said. "But the way you spoke of it seemed to indicate something else. And it's connected to Rei somehow."

Ritsuko sighed, before she said, "Rei and her clones are the basis of the Dummy Plug System. Her memory backup, along with neural tissue harvested from clones we can't use for her backup bodies, are used as a means to fool the Evangelion into thinking there's a pilot in it. Gendo considered it sufficient, even though it would give the Evangelion a berserker state worse than the ones you saw before. We're trying to refine it so it's less bestial, as well as more compatible with the souls within the EVA Units. Yui asked for this specifically."

"I don't mind you using an autopilot, if it's to protect my son, but I will not have it forcibly override him and me," Yui said.

"So, why are we heading down here?" Misato asked.

"Rei had to come in to do a memory backup," Yui said. "The process takes several hours. Gendo often liked to watch her in a frankly creepy way."

"I second that," Ritsuko said. "Do you think he…loved Rei in the same way he loved you?"

Yui scoffed. "I should hope not. No, I think he used Rei as a masturbatory fantasy, because she looks like me with blue hair and red eyes. Hopefully, he fantasised with her being older. He could have asked me if I wanted to wear a wig or dye my hair."

"Yeah, not going to lie, Dr Ikari, but I could do without mental images of either Gendo beating off to Rei, or him having sex with you with blue hair," Misato said with a wince. "I went through Second Impact practically at ground zero, I've already got a lifetime's supply of nightmare fuel."

"You think that's bad?" Ritsuko asked, equally disgusted, but also having an impish smile on her face. "I could describe in graphic detail of our liaisons. I think, in retrospect, you and Kaji got a better deal. At least both of you loved each other."

Misato decided that Ritsuko had a point. Gendo Ikari was also just old enough to be Ritsuko's father, albeit barely (he would have had to have her at about 18), and while Misato acknowledged to herself, if nobody else, that she saw something of her father in Kaji, Kaji had at least good qualities. Gendo, well…you could say he was a good commander of NERV, but that was, as far as the actual character of the man was concerned, damning him by faint praise.

* * *

Misato looked around the room in a mixture of horror and morbid curiosity. In the centre was a cylindrical tank filled with LCL, connected to a vast, brain-like mechanical apparatus depending from the ceiling. Within that tank, Rei floated, naked, serene, her hair gently wafting around her like seaweed. Misato knew that Gendo watching Rei as she did so was a hundred different kinds of creepy.

Of course, what Yui and Ritsuko showed Misato was even worse. The walls of the chamber were actually a darkened tank, and when Ritsuko turned the lights on, she revealed dozens of naked clones of Rei, giggling softly as they floated serenely in the orange liquid, smiling vapidly.

Misato walked gingerly over to one of the tank walls, placing a hand on the wall. One of the Rei clones mimicked her action, something that could have been considered a gesture of curiosity, had it not been for the imbecilic smile of bovine contentment on her face. "Why are they smiling like this?" she asked quietly in horror.

"They have no souls, just basic animal contentment," Ritsuko said. "And even that's not enough. All that's keeping their bodies together is a combination of drugs in the LCL, along with a very basic artificial AT Field. Not enough to be of use for anything like combat against Angels, but if it were to be removed from them, they would soon disintegrate. Part of the problem is hybridising human and Angelic tissue. While similar, they are still dissimilar enough to cause rejection problems. I intend to study Artemisia to see if we can stabilise that, as Rei needs to take regular medication to prevent her own AT Field from failing, and her body from simply falling apart. If I can find out why Artemisia seems to be a stable Nephilim, then I can create a body for Rei that won't fall apart."

Yui looked sadly into the vapid eyes of another Rei clone. "I'll help. God knows my daughter needs a life beyond being a Pilot or the key to Instrumentality."

"Poor Rei. To think she went through this…and Rei's already died once. Your mother killed her, Ritsuko, didn't she?" Misato asked.

"Yes. I don't know the details, but Rei and my mother met, and after a confrontation, my mother throttled Rei," Ritsuko said quietly. "I know she throttled Rei, because I received the autopsy report afterwards. My mother then threw herself to her death, braining herself on one of the Magi." Ritsuko scoffed. "A crowning irony, that her brain was smeared all over a supercomputer that contains her own cloned brain tissue. Sickening."

"Gendo manipulated the situation," Yui said. "I had access to the security cameras, even though they were wiped. He had Rei call Naoko an old hag, and Rei explicitly said it was Gendo who said that. He drove your mother to homicide and then suicide. She actually wanted to be with my husband, and had even been a little satisfied with my absorption into Unit 01, though she at least felt some self-reproach at that. Naoko wasn't brave enough to try and sabotage that Contact Experiment. A shame. While we did have some disagreements as people, I thought her a most brilliant scientist."

Ritsuko's hand clenched into a fist as she looked at one of the clones. "I think it's fair to say, Dr Ikari, that I am not going to be happy with your husband any time soon."

Yui chuckled ruefully as she went back over to the control panel next to the tube Rei was floating in. "Don't worry, there's a few people you could probably call a friend. I mean, there's still time for you to kiss and make up with Misato. And have you seen the way that Maya Ibuki looks at you?"

"Maya?" Ritsuko asked. "But I thought…"

"That she looks to you more as a respected superior?" Yui said with a little smirk. "Ritsuko, I know it when someone has a little crush, and I know Maya has a wee crush on you. Plus, she seems like the forgiving type. Doesn't hurt that she's cute. Of course, if you don't swing that way, just let her down gently. She'll be more than willing to be just friends, I'm sure."

Misato could tell that Ritsuko hadn't even considered that. And a look of self-loathing came over her face. "Even if I could reciprocate her feelings…she's too…good for me. Too pure," Ritsuko admitted in a tone of regret. "If she knew what I collaborated with Gendo on…she would hate me."

"Ritsuko…I don't actually hate you. You were a fool and an idiot, and I was angry with you for a number of reasons…but it's not too late for you. You don't have the monomania my husband had, the madness eating away at your heart," Yui said gently.

"…What about my desire for revenge against the Angels?" Misato asked. "That's a monomania, isn't it? It led me to sending your son into the fray against them."

Yui nodded. "I know. But you at least try to care for my son. You view him as more than an instrument of vengeance, Misato. You recognise the Pilots as children, and not just soldiers, or worse, as pawns like my husband did."

"Even so, it's not like I did a great job," Misato remarked ruefully. "Until she got her mother back, Asuka was so fractious, and poor Shinji…he was a doormat. Well, he still is, but he's getting better, and I like to think Asuka is too. And Rei…I can see her acting more human as she interacts with Shinji."

Rei's soft voice rang out from the tube she was in as she opened her eyes. "That is because Shinji helped me understand what it is to be human. Gendo showed me little guidance."

Yui smiled at her clone daughter, and said, "Rei, I'm draining the LCL tube now." She activated the draining sequence, and Rei choked out a couple of lungfuls of LCL with practised ease, before the now-empty tube was opened, and Rei dried by Yui, using a towel set aside nearby for that purpose. She then donned a dressing gown that had also been left nearby. "Are you okay, Rei?"

The blue-haired girl gave her mother a gentle, soft smile. "Yes. I have done this many times before."

"Which is highly disturbing," Misato remarked. "I mean, a teenager getting used to doing memory backups of her mind in case she dies. That's messed up."

"Yes," Yui said, smiling down at her daughter all the while. "But we're trying, little by little, to clean that mess up…"

* * *

In the commander's office, Kyoko looked over Fuyutsuki's shoulder as the latter pored through various files. "So, these are the Marduk Institute files? All the Evangelion pilot candidates we have?"

"Yes," Fuyutsuki said. "We'll have to send the file of the candidate to SEELE for them to sign off on it. I've found the one that we'll be best to use already. I believe Shinji knows him already. The core can be prepared with ease, and having someone who knows them will help the camaraderie."

Kyoko nodded, her lips pursing as she looked at the file displayed, showing the vital statistics of a dark-haired teenaged boy. And there, where the name was, was Toji Suzuhara…

 **CHAPTER 10 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Okay, so this one was pretty light on Artemisia/Ultimecia, as well as Arashi. They'll be present in the next chapter, when it comes out.**

 **Review-answering time!** **Blackholelord** **: Sadly, Arashi becoming SEELE's pawn won't happen. The big clash between Arashi and Artemisia will happen during the Bardiel incident. That will mark the beginning of his development.**

 **NexusRider161** **: While he won't actually kill anyone in the way (not out of choice per se: he'll initially try to be stealthy getting to Artemisia to kill her), I do intend for him to get very close in killing her, only for her to do the same thing…and show mercy. Not out of true altruism, but because it's crueller for him, to live his life having been shown mercy by the same Sorceress he tried to kill (and Shinji wants it to be so). It's Shinji who will try to reach out to Arashi, and plant the seeds of Arashi's redemption.**

 **Guest** **: Keep in mind that Shinji has run away a number of times, but came back during the series. He doesn't want the people he left behind to die (he cares about Rei and Misato at least, and they, in their own ways, care about him), and once he learns the truth behind Instrumentality, he wants to go back to stop it from happening. Yes, some people would, justifiably, refuse to go back, but Shinji, at least at this point in the series, wants to go back for the above reasons.**

 **No numbered annotations this time.**


End file.
